Leader of the Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly, Babulal Marandi, has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Jharkhand High Court, requesting a CBI investigation into an alleged liquor scam in the state. Marandi’s petition highlights the delay in the ongoing investigation and the absence of any chargesheet, emphasizing the need for CBI intervention. The plea mentions the involvement of prominent individuals, including suspended IAS officer Vinay Chaubey, in the case.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) initiated an FIR in 2025 related to the liquor scam and made several arrests, but due to the absence of a timely chargesheet, the accused were granted default bail. Marandi’s petition expresses concern over the sluggish pace of the investigation, which has not made significant progress even after 14 months since the case registration. It alleges that no substantial headway has been made, and no chargesheet has been presented against the accused.
The PIL points out that Jharkhand implemented a new excise policy in 2022, inspired by Chhattisgarh’s liquor policy, and raises issues regarding contracts awarded to two placement agencies based on allegedly forged bank guarantees. It also questions the involvement of various private companies linked to the liquor industry. The petition stresses the necessity of a comprehensive inquiry into the actions of the hologram manufacturer, the manpower supplier, and the company awarded the wholesale liquor contract.
Babulal Marandi, through the petition, urges the Jharkhand High Court to transfer the entire case to the CBI for an impartial and thorough investigation. Earlier, on March 31, Marandi had met Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar to seek a CBI probe into the matter, citing serious irregularities in the ACB’s handling of the case.
