IAS officer Vinay Kumar Choubey, former Excise Secretary of Jharkhand, was arrested by the state’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in connection with a major excise scam. Alongside Choubey, Joint Commissioner of Excise Gajendra Singh was also taken into custody. The ACB alleges that Choubey collaborated with a Chhattisgarh-based liquor syndicate to draft and implement a new liquor policy in Jharkhand in 2022, which resulted in significant financial losses to the state exchequer.

Investigations revealed that the policy was tailored to benefit members of the syndicate, with tenders and contracts for liquor supply, staffing, and the hologram system being awarded to associates of the group. This manipulation reportedly led to losses of around ₹38 crore for the state. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had previously conducted raids at multiple locations, seizing documents linked to money laundering activities associated with the scam.

The case originated from an FIR registered in September 2024, naming Choubey and several others. The FIR, filed under sections related to fraud, criminal conspiracy, and corruption, accuses the officials of bypassing due process in awarding contracts and receiving illegal commissions. Following legal consultations and approval from the state government, the ACB detained Choubey from his residence and, after questioning both officials, placed them in judicial custody.