VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, May 2: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is learnt to have summoned liquor baron Yogendra Tiwari and his brother Amrendra Tiwari for questioning whether or not they are involved in the money laundering through the liquor trade. They are based in Santhal Pargana.
More persons may be summoned for questioning as the ED is learnt to have analysed the business activities and transactions of several companies of the last and current financial year. The ED so far is learnt to have examined as many as 19 companies. It is alleged that all these companies are linked with each other and are controlled by Tiwaris. Besides, the ED examined a couple of financing companies.
The Jharkhand government this year amended the liquor policy and took control of the liquor trade. But before this, the license of trade for districts was issued through auction. It was alleged that the powerful cartel dominated the business. These companies secured trading licenses of the majority of the districts.
The bank account details of such companies revealed that they had a negligible opening balance during the first quarter of the financial year 2021-2022. But within a couple of days, rupees in Crores were deposited and transferred to accounts of other companies.
The ED is investigating the case based on complaints of the retailers association and the PIL that the liquor trade has been monopolized by a powerful cartel that is also pumping and circulating unaccounted money in the liquor trade.
Likewise, in Bihar also the ED initiated a probe against the illegal liquor trade where there is a complete ban on liquor. The probe pointed out liquor is illegally supplied to Bihar from Jharkhand by liquor mafias. In the light of such inputs, the ED in Jharkhand was directed to conduct an investigation in Jharkhand also.
Notably, in July 2020, the state police had raided several premises of Yogendra Tiwari for his alleged involvement in the illegal trade of liquor and sand.
