In a significant development in the high-profile Rs 38 crore liquor scam case, senior IAS officer Amit Kumar on Monday presented himself before a judicial magistrate in a Ranchi court to record his official statement. The case, which revolves around alleged fake bank guarantees and procedural lapses in the state's excise department, is being probed by the Jharkhand Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
Statement Recorded Under Legal Provisions
The statement of the IAS officer was recorded under Section 183 of the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), following a specific order from the court. Official sources confirmed that the documented statement will be formally presented before the court. A certified copy will also be provided to the investigating team of the Anti-Corruption Bureau for their ongoing probe.
This legal step marks a crucial phase in the investigation, as Kumar is among several senior Indian Administrative Service officers who have been interrogated by the ACB. These officers had previously served in the pivotal role of excise commissioner, a position directly linked to the regulation and oversight of liquor trade in the state.
The Core of the Liquor Scam Case
The alleged scam is rooted in the activities of two human resource agencies: Vision Hospitality and Marshan Innovative. These agencies are accused of submitting fake bank guarantees to secure licenses for running retail liquor shops across Jharkhand. The investigation is focusing not only on the submission of these fraudulent documents but also on the apparent lack of administrative action taken against the agencies despite the irregularities.
The ACB's scrutiny has extended to the conduct of officials who were in charge of the excise department during the relevant period, examining whether there was any negligence or complicity in the alleged fraud that caused a massive financial loss to the state exchequer.
ACB's Expanding Investigation: More Questioning Ahead
In a related development, the Anti-Corruption Bureau has scheduled further questioning for Tuesday. The agency plans to interrogate Sanchita, the wife of suspended IAS officer Vinay Choubey, in connection with a separate disproportionate assets case.
Furthermore, the ACB will also question Vinay Choubey himself on the same day. Choubey is an accused in the Hazaribag land scam, indicating a widening net of investigations into allegations of corruption involving public servants in the state. These parallel probes highlight the bureau's active efforts to address multiple charges of malfeasance.
The recording of Amit Kumar's statement and the scheduled questioning of other individuals underscore the steady progress of the ACB's investigation. The judicial process is moving forward as the agency pieces together evidence to establish the chain of events and accountability in the complex Rs 38 crore liquor scam.
