The Enforcement Directorate is now probing a new paddy scam case in Chhattisgarh along with the cases in the excise, mining and coal levy scams. During the course of the investigation into the excise scam case, the central agency stumbled upon some anomalies and received a number of complaints about the process of paddy procurement in the state.
A senior ED officer said the state government had increased the price per quintal. The rice millers and a group of government officials had started an illegal syndicate, under which they took “commission and cuts” for the procurement, alleged the officer.
It is a predicate offence (an offence based on which the ED starts a money laundering case), which is now being probed as part of the larger investigation into the excise scam, the officer added.
The probe into the alleged excise scam, popularly known as the liquor scam, revealed how a nexus between three distillery owners or distributors and a group of government officials caused a loss of around Rs 3,800 crore to the government exchequer. Government-owned shops sell liquor in the state and there is no private player. The state has around 800 such shops but illegal liquor syndicates started selling unprocessed and unaccounted for liquor across the state, as per the details of the case.
The ED arrested excise special secretary Arun Pati Tripathi in connection with the case, who had changed the liquor policy. Later, the agency probed Anil Tuteja and Ranu Sahu as well, who are both senior serving IAS officers in the state.
Apart from West Bengal and Jharkhand, where the ED is probing multiple corruption cases, Chhattisgarh is another state where it is probing at least three major scams. At least five senior IAS officers were raided and arrested in connection with the three cases in the coal levy, liquor and paddy scams.
In a fresh statement on Wednesday, the ED said it had attached movable and 91 immovable properties worth Rs 152.31 crore beneficially owned by Saumya Chaurasia, who is deputy secretary to the Chhattisgarh chief minister, mining director Sameer Vishnoi and two others.
“An original complaint dated January 5, 2023, was filed before the adjudicating authority (PMLA), New Delhi. After giving opportunity to all the defendants and hearing arguments of both the sides, the adjudicating authority (PMLA), New Delhi, by its order dated June 1, 2023, has confirmed ED’s attachment of the properties,” read a statement.
“Accordingly, ED has taken possession of 81 immovable properties and issued eviction notice in respect of 10 immovable properties in accordance with the Prevention of Money Laundering (taking possession of attached or frozen properties confirmed by the adjudicating authority) Rules, 2013,” it said.
It added: “ED has also taken note of the filing of another predicate offence in this scam and further investigation is going on.”
The cumulative size of the two major scams now stand at Rs 4,300 crore, which includes the Rs 3,800-crore liquor scam and the Rs 560-crore coal levy scam, said a senior officer.
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