The hearing on the bail plea of IAS officer Vinay Choubey, embroiled in a high-profile alleged land scam in Hazaribag, concluded on Monday. The ACB-cum-District Judge, Asha Devi Bhatt, reserved the order and is set to pronounce it this Wednesday.
Defense Challenges FIR Inclusion and Investigation Delay
Choubey's advocate, Shankar Banerjee, presented a robust defense, challenging the very foundation of the case against his client. He asserted that Vinay Choubey's name was absent from the original First Information Report (FIR). Banerjee submitted that the officer's name was incorporated later based solely on the statement of a co-accused, Alka Kumari, who was subsequently turned into a government witness.
He argued that this move violates established legal provisions under the Evidence Act and contravenes guidelines set by the Supreme Court. Furthermore, Banerjee emphasized the inordinate delay in the probe, pointing out that the matter has been under investigation for a staggering 15 years. He questioned the justification for making an arrest at this advanced stage after such a prolonged period.
Questioning the Role and Allegations
The defense counsel strongly objected to the allegations, terming them baseless. He argued on technical grounds, stating that a Deputy Commissioner, the post held by Choubey, does not directly intervene in mutation matters of land. Therefore, linking the IAS officer to the case and framing charges against him was fundamentally unjustified, according to Banerjee's submission in court.
Currently, Vinay Choubey is lodged in the Loknayak Jai Prakash Narayan Central Jail in Hazaribag. The case stems from allegations of illegal transfer and misuse of notified forest land in the Massipeedi area of the district.
The ACB Case and Other Accused
According to official sources, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) had completed a preliminary inquiry into the alleged scam. Based on its findings, the Ranchi ACB registered Case No. 11/2025, naming a total of 73 accused individuals. Vinay Choubey is among those named.
The extensive list of accused includes several prominent figures:
- Choubey's close associate, Vinay Singh
- Vinay Singh's wife, Snigdha Singh
- Hazaribag Sadar MLA, Pradeep Prasad
- The then Circle Officer, Shailesh Kumar
- Broker Vijay Singh
The court's decision on the bail plea, now awaited for Wednesday, will be a significant development in this long-drawn legal proceeding that involves serious allegations of corruption and land fraud.
