Rohit Oraon, son of former Finance Minister Rameshwar Oraon, did not attend the Enforcement Directorate (ED) questioning on Monday regarding the alleged liquor scam in Jharkhand. He has requested additional time to prepare and appear before the agency. Meanwhile, Rameshwar Oraon has been summoned for questioning on June 30 by the ED.
Both Rohit and Rameshwar Oraon have communicated separately to the agency, stating the need for more time to organize documents for their defense. The ED is yet to respond to their request. Sources suggest that if they do not appear as required, the agency might issue fresh summons within a week.
The ED is investigating the alleged money trail and the involvement of private companies in Jharkhand’s new excise policy implementation. It is focusing on Rohit Oraon’s role in the process of awarding contracts to Chhattisgarh-based companies for liquor supply and manpower services in Jharkhand.
The agency is particularly scrutinizing financial transactions and digital evidence related to a Chhattisgarh-based firm’s entry into Jharkhand and the subsequent contract awards. In a previous search operation on August 23, 2023, the ED recovered Rs 30 lakh in cash from Rohit Oraon’s residence in Ranchi. The agency is also exploring possible connections between the seized cash and alleged investments.
Following an FIR by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), the ED registered an ECIR under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) concerning irregularities in the new excise policy implementation. The investigation now includes examining fund flows, investments, and the beneficiaries associated with the alleged irregularities, extending to political and administrative levels.
