LAGATAR24 NETWORK
Ranchi, Aug.23: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) team today started conducting raids since morning at 32 locations across the state including seven in the Jharkhand capital to probe laundering of money earned by illegal business of liquor in Jharkhand.
The places where there is information of presence of raids in the Jharkhand capital include liquor baron Yogendra Tiwari’s residence at Patel Chowk in Harmu besides his locations in Deoghar and Dumka.
The ED is also raiding locations of Rohit Oraon, son of Finance Minister Rameshwar Oraon.
The case arose, according to ED sources, after it came to the fore that Chhattisgarh liquor consultant, suppliers and the excise department caused a loss of excise revenue of more than Rs 450 crore to the Jharkhand government.
Arun Pati Tripathi, the advisor of the new liquor policy in Jharkhand, is alleged to be a mastermind of the Chhattisgarh liquor scam. He is accused of becoming an advisor in Jharkhand without the consent of the central government and the state of Chhattisgarh.
According to the rules, to become a consultant in Jharkhand, he was required to take permission from his parent department and Chhattisgarh government. There are many serious allegations against him in Chhattisgarh, including the allegation of creating a fake company and printing holograms in Chhattisgarh. The three companies whose names are coming to the fore in the liquor scam case in Chhattisgarh. He also has direct interference in Jharkhand’s liquor policy.
Among the seven places being raided by the ED include Jharkhand finance minister Rameshwar Oraon’s son and Nexagen showroom owner Vinay Singh.
Besides Ranchi, the raid locations include Dhanbad, Deoghar, Dumka and Godda. Locations in Ranchi being raided also include the residence of Shravan Jalan.
