Lagatar24 Desk
Ranchi: Suspended Jharkhand IAS officer Vinay Kumar Chaubey is facing increasing heat as the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has intensified its probe into multiple allegations against him. Once known as an influential bureaucrat, Chaubey is now named in separate FIRs for three major cases — the Hazaribagh khasmahal land scam, the liquor scam, and a disproportionate assets case.
Hazaribagh Khasmahal Land Scam
A significant khasmahal land scam has emerged in Hazaribagh involving Chaubey’s tenure as the then DC. According to the ACB, 2.75 acres of khasmahal land, originally leased to a trust in 1948 and renewed till 2008, was declared government land between 2008-2010 and illegally transferred to 23 private persons. The ACB probe revealed that Chaubey allegedly colluded with khasmahal officials, deliberately removing the word ‘sewayat’ from lease documents to project trust land as state property and enable the illegal transfer. The ACB has recommended filing FIRs against named officials and beneficiaries, and the file has been sent to the state government.
Liquor Scam Case
On May 20, the ACB arrested Chaubey in connection with a major liquor scam. The government has stated that Chaubey’s actions in the selection of placement agencies for liquor sales were fraudulent and violated laid procedures, causing an estimated ₹38 crore loss to the state exchequer. Officials allege that Chaubey misused his position, manipulated agency selection without due process, and facilitated criminal collusion to benefit private players at the government’s expense.
Disproportionate Assets Under Scanner Too
The ACB is also investigating Chaubey’s assets after evidence of illegal wealth surfaced during the liquor scam probe. The state government approved a preliminary enquiry (PE) on June 6 to examine assets allegedly disproportionate to his known sources of income. Early findings show Chaubey and his close associates linked to five properties, three companies, and suspicious transactions. After preliminary checks, the ACB sought and secured government permission to conduct a full investigation.
