Jharkhand Liquor Scam: Chhattisgarh-Based Businessman Naveen Kedia Held in Goa

Ranchi- The Jharkhand Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested key accused Naveen Kedia from Goa in connection with the multi-crore liquor scam, officials said on Wednesday.

Kedia, a resident of Durg district in Chhattisgarh, had been absconding for a considerable period. The ACB team is currently bringing him to Ranchi on transit remand, after which he will be produced before the court. Investigators plan to interrogate him in detail regarding his alleged involvement in the scam.

According to ACB sources, Kedia had earlier been summoned for questioning but failed to appear. He later approached the court seeking anticipatory bail, which was rejected, following which he went underground.

After sustained surveillance using technical inputs and human intelligence, the ACB tracked his location and apprehended him in Goa.

Investigations have indicated that the Jharkhand liquor scam has well-organised links with liquor traders based in Chhattisgarh. The Jharkhand angle first surfaced after a diary was recovered from the residence of businessman Siddharth Singhania during a probe by the Chhattisgarh Anti-Corruption Bureau into a similar scam in that state.

The diary reportedly contained details of a syndicate formed to control the liquor trade in Jharkhand, including names of individuals considered obstacles and strategies to “manage” them.

The ACB has also found that seven placement agencies awarded contracts by the Jharkhand government for liquor shop operations and manpower supply blatantly violated tender norms. The bank guarantees submitted by these firms were later found to be fake.

An internal audit by the Jharkhand State Beverages Corporation Limited (JSBCL) estimated that these seven companies caused a loss of around Rs 129.55 crore to the state exchequer through fraudulent practices. Overall, the ACB has assessed the total scam amount at more than Rs 150 crore.

Earlier, several high-profile accused, including serving IAS officer Vinay Kumar Chaubey, retired IAS officer Amit Prakash, Jharkhand Administrative Service officer Gajendra Singh, businessman Siddharth Singhania, and Vidhu Gupta, director of Prism Holography, were arrested in the case. However, most of them were later granted bail as the charge sheet was not filed within the prescribed time.

With inputs from IANS