In a major development in the Jharkhand liquor scam, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested Chhattisgarh-based businessman Siddharth Singhania. He was apprehended near Raipur during an ACB raid on Thursday, in connection with the multi-crore liquor syndicate investigation.
The ACB had already secured an arrest warrant from a special court in Ranchi on June 12. After his arrest, Singhania was produced in a local court in Chhattisgarh, and the agency is now preparing a transit remand to bring him to Jharkhand for further questioning.
During a previous raid by the Chhattisgarh ACB at Singhania’s residence, investigators discovered a diary allegedly containing key information. The entries outlined the syndicate’s operations, strategies for controlling the liquor trade in Jharkhand, and plans to neutralize individuals seen as threats to their business.
The findings have raised alarms about a deeply rooted business-bureaucrat nexus, as the diary hinted at systemic manipulation of state liquor operations.
The scam has so far led to the arrest of seven individuals, including:
IAS officer Vinay Kumar Chaubey
Retired IAS officer Amit Prakash
Jharkhand Administrative Service officer Gajendra Singh
The ACB recently secured arrest warrants against seven more individuals from Gujarat and Maharashtra, all suspected to be linked to the illicit network. Additionally, Ranchi-based automobile businessman Vinay Kumar Singh remains absconding after ignoring summons for questioning.
With 16 names now officially tied to the case, the ACB’s sweeping probe continues to expose a high-level corruption ring involving businessmen, bureaucrats, and private entities.