CNN Central News & Network-ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: Raipur. In Chhattisgarh’s much-discussed liquor scam, the investigating agency has made several disclosures about an alleged network linked to illegal liquor production, fake holograms and the supply of liquor to government shops. The State Economic Offences Wing and Anti-Corruption Bureau (EOW-ACB) has filed a tenth supplementary chargesheet of about 27,000 pages against 42 accused in the case. It is said to include the names of 20 individuals and 22 companies. The agency alleges that liquor produced without payment of excise duty was fitted with duplicate holograms and supplied to government shops. Under this alleged arrangement, the full account of liquor sales was not entered in government records, causing revenue loss to the state.
According to investigation documents, liquor bearing duplicate holograms reached a warehouse at Dhaneli linked to businessman Anwar Dhebar. From there, it was allegedly sent to various government liquor shops. The investigating agency claims a separate network had been created for the supply, transport and sale of the liquor. The chargesheet also says fake holograms were pasted on bottles to make the illegal liquor appear like legitimate government supply. The alleged role of some distilleries, people linked to transport and employees working at liquor shops has been examined in this arrangement.
According to the investigating agency, offices in Noida and Raipur were used for printing duplicate holograms. It is alleged that these holograms were supplied as required to the concerned distilleries, where they were pasted on liquor bottles. In this connection, the role of several people, including Vidhu Gupta linked to Prism Holography and Security Films Private Limited, has been mentioned. The investigation documents also contain allegations related to storing holograms at the GST office in Raipur and their distribution. These allegations will be confirmed through examination of evidence during the judicial process.
According to the EOW-ACB, different people had roles in the alleged network for arranging empty bottles, bottling liquor, pasting holograms, packing and transport. The agency has alleged that the full account of money received from liquor sales was not recorded in government accounts and that an alleged system of commission and cash collection was operated. The chargesheet also includes allegations that illegal earnings were sent to Dubai through hawala. On the basis of some financial transactions, the investigating agency has claimed that a large amount of money was made available abroad. However, the final decision on these allegations will be taken by the court.
The investigating agency has assessed the alleged illegal earnings and loss to government revenue in the liquor scam at more than Rs 3,076 crore. This figure is based on the claims of the investigating agency and is not a finding of loss finally proved by the court. Several businessmen, former officials and companies have been named as accused in the case. The court will take the final decision on the responsibility of the accused, the role of the concerned companies and the alleged financial irregularities. For now, amid the investigation and legal process, the case is raising serious questions about Chhattisgarh’s excise system and monitoring of government revenue.
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