The Raipur wing of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) took a significant step in the ongoing investigation of a liquor scam in Chhattisgarh, provisionally attaching 18 movable and 161 immovable properties valued at approximately Rs 205 Crore. This action follows the registration of a fresh Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) based on an FIR lodged by state police under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
Among the attached assets are 14 properties belonging to former IAS officer Anil Tuteja, with an estimated worth of Rs 15.82 Crore, and 115 properties owned by Anwar Dhebar, valued at Rs 116.16 Crore, among others. Notable properties under Dhebar's ownership include Hotel Vennington Court in Raipur, operated under his firm, M/s A Dhebar Buildcon, and a commercial building known as Accord Business Tower.
The modus operandi behind the Chhattisgarh liquor scam between 2019 and 2022 involved a structured approach. Initially, bribes were solicited from distillers for each case of liquor procured by the Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation Limited (CSMCL), the state's entity for liquor purchase and sale. Subsequently, unaccounted country liquor was sold off the books, with proceeds withheld from the state exchequer and retained by the syndicate. This illicit liquor distribution occurred exclusively through state-run outlets.
Further layers of corruption involved commissions extracted from distillers to establish cartels and secure fixed market shares. Additionally, FL-10A license holders were enlisted to generate revenue from the foreign liquor segment.
Anil Tuteja, a former bureaucrat, was apprehended on April 21, 2024, and is presently in ED custody. Investigations are ongoing as authorities delve deeper into the intricate web of corruption and malpractice surrounding the Chhattisgarh liquor scam.
