Chhattisgarh liquor scam: Retired IAS officer Niranjan Das arrested by ED
Retired IAS officer Niranjan Das has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for his alleged role in the massive Chhattisgarh liquor scam.
Between 2019 and 2022, while serving as Excise Commissioner, Das reportedly took monthly bribes of ₹50 lakh and looked the other way as illegal alcohol sales thrived under his watch.
How the scam worked and where things stand now
Das is accused of telling officers to push unaccounted liquor, thereby helping a network that used fake holograms, duplicate bottles, dodged checks, fixed prices, and adulterated products.
This operation is said to have generated over ₹2,500 crore in illegal profits, with losses to public funds estimated at more than ₹3,000 crore.
The case has seen multiple arrests—including several high-profile officials—and assets worth ₹205 crore have been seized so far.
Investigations are still on to track down more people involved and follow the money trail.