Chhattisgarh: 22 Excise Officers Suspended in Rs 2,100 Crore Liquor Scam

Raipur: The state government has suspended 22 senior officers in the excise department who were named in the chargesheet filed by the economic offence wing (EOW) of Chhattisgarh police in the alleged Rs 2,100 liquor scam.

The alleged scam had happened in 2019-2022 during the previous Bhupesh Baghel government.

Those suspended were five deputy commissioners, five assistant and district excise officers, besides 12 assistant commissioners.

The government’s crackdown in the alleged scam came after the EOW filed the supplementary chargesheet in the case on July seven.

A total of 29 officers of the excise department, nine of whom have retired, have been named in the supplementary chargesheet of the EOW in the case.

They have been charged with selling liquor worth Rs 2,174 in the government outlets without paying duty.

The EOW investigation has suggested that the 22 suspended excise department officers were part of the syndicate which masterminded the scam and had allegedly received more than Rs 88 crore.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is also separately probing the alleged scam. It has filed an FIR in the case.

The ED probe has suggested that a syndicate of officers, businessmen and politicians carried out the alleged scam during the previous Bhupesh Baghel government.

The ED has named former minister and senior Congress leader Kawasi Lakhma as one of the accused in the alleged scam.

The Congress leader has been arrested in connection with it.

He has been accused of receiving Rs 64 crore in the alleged scam.