ED conducts raids at multiple locations in Madhya Pradesh over Rs 49 cr excise ‘scam’

Bhopal: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday launched a massive crackdown on liquor traders across Madhya Pradesh, raiding properties in Indore, Bhopal, Rewa, Mandsaur, and Jabalpur.

The action is tied to a Rs 49 crore treasury challan “scam”, in which liquor contractors allegedly forged government documents to secure contracts and funnel liquor illegally between 2015 and 2018.

In Indore, the ED’s largest operation targeted 18 premises linked to prominent liquor traders, including Avinash and Vijay Shrivastava, Rakesh Jaiswal, Yogendra Jaiswal, Rahul Chokse, Suryaprakash Arora, Gopal Shivhare, Lavkush, and Pradeep Jaiswal.

The probe is based on an FIR alleging the contractors inflicted a Rs 49.42 crore loss on the state exchequer through forged treasury challans and illegally acquired NOCs for liquor procurement during FY 2015–16 to 2017–18.

The scam allegedly occurred during Sanjjev Kumar Dubey’s tenure as Assistant Commissioner (AC) in Indore. Despite facing multiple inquiries, Dubey was recently reposted as AC in Jabalpur.

Sources said the contractors filled only the “figures” section of treasury challans, leaving the “words” blank.

After depositing the challans in banks, they later altered the “words” section to reflect inflated amounts, submitting these doctored documents to liquor warehouses and excise offices.

In Mandsaur, a seven-member ED team, backed by CRPF personnel, raided the residence of liquor trader Bunty Trivedi. Parallel raids continued in Bhopal and Rewa, with a major trader’s property under ED scrutiny in the capital.

The Congress has slammed the government, calling Dubey the alleged kingpin, and raised doubts over the post-scam recovery of Rs 22 crore reportedly collected from traders and deposited in government accounts. They demand clarity on the origin and legality of the funds.

Congress MLA Mahesh Parmar had also raised an attention motion in connection with this issue in the recent Budget Session of the Assembly.

Congress accused Excise Commissioner Abhijit Agrawal of misleading the House by providing incorrect information.

The ED’s probe is likely to expand, focusing not just on liquor traders but also on administrative complicity that may have enabled the scam.