Leader of Opposition in the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly, Babulal Marandi, on Tuesday met Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar and submitted a memorandum to him seeking a CBI investigation in the alleged Rs 750-crore liquor scam.
After meeting the governor, Marandi raised concerns over what he described as “questionable functioning” of the state’s Anti-Corruption Bureau.
He alleged that the agency failed to submit charge sheets within the legally mandated period, enabling several accused to obtain default bail. He urged immediate directions to the ACB to file pending charge sheets and called for a CBI-led probe.
The senior BJP leader claimed the investigation lacked neutrality, accusing the ACB of indirectly shielding those implicated. He alleged that deliberate delays in filing charge sheets had weakened the case by affecting evidence and procedural compliance.
Marandi pointed out that even after more than eight months since the initial arrests, no charge sheet has been filed. Consequently, 14 of the 17 accused have reportedly secured default bail due to procedural lapses.
The ACB had carried out arrests in 2025 in connection with the case, including then Excise Secretary Vinay Kumar Choubey and Joint Excise Commissioner Gajendra Singh on May 20, along with others associated with the Jharkhand State Beverages Corporation Limited.
The BJP leader said that Gajendra Singh obtained bail within 56 days, while Choubey was granted default bail on August 19, 2025, after the agency failed to file a charge sheet within the stipulated 90-day period. Several other accused also received similar relief shortly thereafter.
He further alleged that amendments made to the state’s excise policy in 2022 favoured a particular cartel, resulting in significant losses to the state treasury. According to him, the scam—initially estimated at Rs 38 crore—has now escalated to over Rs 750 crore.
Citing another instance, Marandi referred to liquor trader Naveen Kedia, who allegedly fled after securing transit bail, raising serious questions about the effectiveness of the ongoing probe.
Alleging a systematic effort to “protect the accused and downplay the scam,” Marandi said public trust in the investigation had been badly shaken. Describing the case as a “well-planned economic offence,” he urged the governor, as the constitutional head of the state, to intervene, ensure immediate filing of charge sheets, and recommend handing over the investigation to the CBI to ensure transparency and accountability.
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