22 Excise Officers Suspended for Involvement in Liquor Scam; One Officer Amassed ₹88 Crore

39 Excise Officers Transferred in Chhattisgarh
Raipur – In a major action related to the Chhattisgarh liquor scam, the Excise Department has suspended 22 excise officers who were named as accused in the case. These officers are alleged to have been part of the liquor scam syndicate and reportedly amassed ₹88 crore. Recently, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) filed a chargesheet against them in a special court in Raipur.




Following the suspension, the department has also transferred 39 excise officers. A majority of district-level officers have been reassigned from one district to another. While the official order cites administrative grounds for the transfers, it is being viewed as a departmental shake-up. The order was issued by the Commercial Tax Department in Nava Raipur.
The estimated amount involved in the Chhattisgarh liquor scam has now surged from ₹2,100 crore to ₹3,200 crore. Businessman Anwar Dhebar, believed to be the mastermind behind the syndicate, received more than ₹90 crore. EOW investigations revealed that he invested the money under the names of his relatives and chartered accountants in several companies.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is investigating the Chhattisgarh liquor scam and has registered an FIR with the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). The FIR mentions a scam worth over ₹2,000 crore.
According to ED’s findings, the scam was executed during the tenure of the then Bhupesh Baghel-led government, allegedly through a syndicate involving IAS officer Anil Tuteja, Excise Department MD A.P. Tripathi, and businessman Anwar Dhebar.