Ranchi: In a major development in the widely reported Jharkhand liquor scam, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested a key accused, Naveen Kedia, from Goa. Kedia, a resident of Durg district in Chhattisgarh, had been absconding for a long time.
The ACB team is now preparing to bring him to Ranchi on transit remand, where he will be presented before the court. Following this, he will undergo detailed interrogation on crucial aspects of the case while in custody.
According to ACB sources, Naveen Kedia was initially summoned for questioning but failed to appear. He later approached the court seeking anticipatory bail, which was rejected. Subsequently, he went underground. Using continuous technical and human intelligence inputs, the ACB traced his location and successfully apprehended him in Goa.
The investigation revealed deep and organised links between the Jharkhand liquor scam and liquor businessmen from Chhattisgarh. During the probe by the Chhattisgarh Anti-Corruption Bureau into a liquor scam in that state, a diary recovered from businessman Siddharth Singhania’s residence exposed connections to Jharkhand. The diary detailed the syndicate formed to control the liquor trade in Jharkhand, strategies to identify and manage obstacles, and operational plans.
The ACB’s inquiry also uncovered serious violations by seven placement agencies contracted by the Jharkhand government for running liquor shops and supplying manpower. These companies submitted fake bank guarantees and breached tender conditions. According to the internal audit report of Jharkhand State Beverages Corporation Limited, these agencies caused a loss of approximately ₹129.55 crore to the state government through fraudulent means.
So far, the ACB has estimated the total value of the scam at over ₹150 crore. Earlier, senior IAS officer Vinay Kumar Chaubey, retired IAS officer Amit Prakash, Jharkhand Administrative Service officer Gajendra Singh, businessman Siddharth Singhania, and Prism Holography company director Vidhu Gupta were also arrested in connection with the case. However, due to delays in filing chargesheets, most accused secured bail from the court.
This arrest marks a significant step forward in the ongoing probe into the large-scale liquor scam affecting Jharkhand’s governance and revenue systems.