The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has formally launched its investigation into the Jharkhand liquor scam, taking over the case initially registered by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). The agency has assumed charge of ACB case number 9/2025 and has registered a corresponding ECIR (Enforcement Case Information Report) numbered 10/2025 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Following the registration of the ECIR, the ED moved the Special PMLA Court in Ranchi seeking permission to interrogate the accused arrested by the ACB.
The court has granted approval, allowing the agency to question the individuals currently lodged in jail and record their statements. According to court records, the ED’s application carried filing number 11431/2025 and registration number 10/2025.
The ACB had registered the FIR in May after completing its preliminary inquiry into the alleged liquor scam. The FIR named senior IAS officer Vinay Choubey, Excise Department Joint Secretary Gajendra Singh, Vinay Singh, and seven others as accused.
Following the FIR, the ACB arrested Vinay Choubey and Gajendra Singh. So far, more than a dozen arrests have been made in the case, several of whom have since secured bail. The ACB continues to pursue its investigation independently.
With the ED stepping in and launching its own probe under PMLA, the case has taken a significant turn, adding a new layer of scrutiny to the unfolding scandal.
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