Raipur: Anwar Dhebar, an accused in Chhattisgarh’s high-profile liquor scam case, has received significant relief from the Supreme Court. The apex court has granted him interim bail, albeit subject to several conditions.
According to reports, the Supreme Court has directed Anwar Dhebar to comply with conditions such as staying outside the state. Dhebar is among the key accused in the liquor scam case and has also been named in other cases.
Serious allegations surfaced during ED investigation
Taking action in the Chhattisgarh liquor scam case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has named several individuals—including Anwar Dhebar and former IAS officer Anil Tuteja—as accused. The ED alleges that illicit funds were amassed between 2019 and 2023 through a syndicate operating within the liquor trade.
According to the investigative agency, illegal earnings were generated through methods such as the alleged manipulation of liquor procurement rates, the production of unaccounted liquor, and the collection of commissions via FL-10A licenses.
ED had attached assets worth crores
As part of its action in the case, the ED attached several properties linked to Anwar Dhebar, including land and other assets in Raipur. The ED claims these properties were acquired using proceeds from the alleged crime.
The agency has taken action against multiple accused individuals and filed a prosecution complaint in court. The investigation into the liquor scam is ongoing.
Legal proceedings to continue despite bail
Following the grant of interim bail by the Supreme Court, Anwar Dhebar must adhere to the conditions stipulated by the court. Meanwhile, the judicial proceedings in the case will continue.
Understanding the liquor scam
The ED is investigating the Chhattisgarh liquor scam and has lodged an FIR with the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). The FIR alleges a scam amounting to over ₹3,200 crore. The ED’s investigation revealed that a scam was orchestrated during the tenure of the then Bhupesh government through a syndicate comprising IAS officer Anil Tuteja, Excise Department MD AP Tripathi, and businessman Anwar Dhebar. According to investigative agencies, the alleged scam was executed across three categories: A, B, and C.
A: Collection of commissions from distillery operators
It was reported that a commission of ₹75 per case was collected from distillery operators in 2019, a figure that rose to ₹100 per case in subsequent years. To ensure the operators did not incur losses, liquor prices were raised in new tenders. Additionally, a mechanism for cost adjustment was created by allegedly allowing overbilling.
B: Sales through government shops using fake holograms
The investigation revealed that distillery owners were made to produce excess liquor, which was then sold through government shops using fake holograms. It is alleged that a hologram supplier, Vidhu Gupta, was engaged for this purpose. The responsibility for supplying and transporting empty bottles was assigned to Arvind Singh and his nephew, Amit Singh.
Fifteen districts in the state were shortlisted for the sale of this liquor. Shopkeepers were allegedly instructed not to record sales in official documents. Initially, the MRP was set at ₹2,880 per case, which was later increased to ₹3,840. It also emerged that distillery owners were paid ₹560 per case initially, and later ₹600 per case, for the supply. The ACB has claimed to have found evidence regarding the sale of over 40 lakh cases of liquor during the investigation.
C: Illegal extortion through manipulation of supply zones
CSMCL shops were divided into eight zones for the sale of country liquor. It is alleged that the allocation of supply zones during the tender process began to be determined based on commissions. AP Tripathi reportedly provided zone-wise analyses to facilitate the adjustment of zone sizes, thereby enabling the extortion of illegal funds. The EOW investigation reportedly uncovered evidence that ₹52 crore was paid to the syndicate as ‘Part C’ over three financial years under the guise of country liquor supply.
