Former Excise Commissioner Amit Prakash arrested in Jharkhand liquor scam

Image used for representation | Photo Credit: The Hindu

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Tuesday (June 17, 2025) arrested former Excise Commissioner Amit Prakash in connection with the Jharkhand liquor scam. The arrest comes weeks after the agency detained senior IAS officer Vinay Kumar Choubey on May 20, in a money laundering case linked to the same alleged scam.

Mr. Choubey has been accused of causing a ₹38 crore loss to the State exchequer through corrupt practices.

An official of the ACB said Mr. Prakash was taken into custody late on Tuesday evening following a day-long questioning session held on June 17. He had served as Commissioner of the Excise Department and Managing Director (MD) of the Jharkhand State Beverage Corporation Limited (JSBCL) until his retirement in December 2024.

Mr. Prakash becomes the second former IAS officer to be arrested in the case. With his arrest, the total number of individuals detained in the case has risen to six. According to sources, he is accused of releasing approximately ₹12 crore to a liquor wholesaler, Om Sai, despite pending allegations and government directives to withhold payments.

The ACB had earlier issued summons for Mr. Prakash’s appearance. Following his interrogation, he was formally placed under arrest and subsequently taken to Sadar Hospital in Ranchi for medical examination.

The wholesale liquor contracts had been awarded to two firms: Om Sai and Dishita Venture. Om Sai had been under scrutiny for irregularities in liquor supply. Due to mounting allegations, the State government had halted the company’s dues. However, Mr. Prakash allegedly authorised a ₹12 crore payment to the firm shortly before his retirement.

The Excise Department’s Joint Commissioner, Gajendra Singh, has also been arrested and remanded in the same case.

The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter, alleging that the actions of the ACB were merely an “eyewash”.

The FIR in the case alleges that the 2022 Jharkhand liquor policy was framed to illegally benefit a syndicate, resulting in significant losses to the State treasury.

Published - June 17, 2025 10:24 pm IST