Lagatar24 Desk
Ranchi: Statements by former Joint Commissioner Gajendra Kumar Singh have brought to light alleged corruption and administrative laxity within the Jharkhand State Beverages Corporation Limited (JSBCL), raising serious questions about policy intent, revenue losses, and undue benefits extended to private placement agencies.
Revenue Losses and Deliberate Administrative Delays
In his statement, Singh admitted that from 2022–23 onwards, the state’s revenue interests were repeatedly ignored. Large stocks of liquor remained unsold in shops from May 2022, while placement agencies failed to meet Minimum Guaranteed Revenue (MGR) targets. Despite this, JSBCL did not invoke deductions from the agencies’ bank guarantees, a delay Singh described as deliberate, resulting in undue financial gains for private firms and losses to the public exchequer.
Bank Guarantees Sent to Officials’ Personal Phones
Singh named firms such as Vision Hospitality Services and Marshan Innovative, alleging irregularities in the handling of bank guarantees. According to his statement, bank guarantees were first received on the personal mobile phones of senior officials, after which pressure was exerted on JSBCL to immediately sign agreements. This rush to contract, allegedly without proper verification, further entrenched corrupt practices.
Warnings Ignored on Overpricing and Sales Gaps
The former Joint Commissioner also stated that senior authorities were repeatedly informed about liquor being sold above the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) and the widening gap between sales and deposits, especially after September 2024. Despite these warnings, no steps were taken to appoint new agencies or penalise defaulting companies, reinforcing allegations of systemic protection and policy failure.
