Retired IAS Officer Niranjan Das Arrested in Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam

Fast Summary

• Arrest: Niranjan Das, former state excise commissioner and retired IAS officer, was arrested by Chhattisgarh’s Anti-Corruption Bureau/economic Offences Wing (ACB/EOW) over his alleged role in a liquor scam.
• Allegations: Mr. Das is accused of receiving financial benefits worth crores through unaccounted liquor sales,altering tender processes,officer transfers,and introducing flawed policies favoring the syndicate behind the scam.
• Scam Details: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) alleges a ₹2,500 crore scam was operational between 2019 and 2022 under the Congress-led Bhupesh Baghel government.
• Ongoing Investigations: ACB/EOW has filed multiple chargesheets in the case and named over 70 individuals/companies.More than a dozen arrests have been made so far.
• key Arrests So Far: Alleged involvement includes Chaitanya Baghel (son of ex-CM Bhupesh Baghel),businessman Anwar Dhebar,ex-IAS Anil Tuteja,excise minister Kawasi Lakhma,and others.
• Court Proceedings: mr. Das will be produced before court on September 19, 2025.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The arrest of retired IAS officer Niranjan Das highlights intensifying efforts to address large-scale corruption in India’s governance systems. With allegations involving influential figures across bureaucratic ranks and political affiliations-spanning tender manipulation to illicit profits-the case underscores systemic vulnerabilities in state-run enterprises like liquor distribution networks.

From a governance outlook, such scandals raise pressing questions about institutional accountability mechanisms while emphasizing coordination gaps among regulatory frameworks at both federal and state levels. Furthermore, given that multiple agencies such as ED and ACB are involved in parallel investigations into money laundering aspects versus administrative offenses under political oversight during prior regimes-this could tether meaningful precedents for future anti-corruption strategies nationwide.

Read more: The Hindu Article.