In a significant development in the ongoing investigation into the alleged liquor scam in Chhattisgarh, retired IAS officer Niranjan Das has been arrested. The arrest was made by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and Economic Offences Wing (EOW). Das is accused of being a key player in facilitating the multi-crore scam that allegedly occurred during the previous Congress-led government.

Niranjan Das, who previously served as the commissioner of the state excise department, is accused of assisting a syndicate involved in the illegal sale of liquor across the state. According to officials, Das allegedly received undue benefits worth crores of rupees in exchange for manipulating the tender process, facilitating the sale of unaccounted liquor in state-run shops,transferring officers, and cooperating in implementing a flawed liquor policy, all of which benefited the syndicate.

Das, a former officer of the state civil service who was later promoted to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), is the second retired IAS officer to be arrested in connection with the case. He is expected to be produced in a local court.

The Economic Offences Wing/Anti-Corruption Bureau (EOW/ACB) has stated that Niranjan Das is accused of assisting a syndicate active in the department, including the sale of unaccounted liquor in government liquor shops, the transfer of officials, manipulation of the tender process, cooperation in implementing a flawed liquor policy, and other means, thereby benefiting the syndicate and thereby receiving undue benefits worth crores of rupees.

The liquor scam is alleged to have taken place between 2019 and 2022, during the Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government in Chhattisgarh. It is alleged that a syndicate of senior state bureaucrats, politicians, and Excise Department officials facilitated illegal sale of liquor to the public, causing a loss of around Rs 3,200 crore to the state exchequer.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also been investigating the money laundering aspect of the case and has estimated that the scam was worth over Rs 2,500 crore and ran between 2019 and 2022. The ED has alleged that a well-organized network was collecting illegal commissions from liquor sales and conducting unauthorized distribution through state-run shops.

Several high-profile individuals have been arrested in connection with the case, including Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, businessman Anwar Dhebar, former IAS officer Anil Tuteja, and Indian Telecom Service officer Arunpati Tripathi.