In a significant development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested retired Chhattisgarh IAS officer Anil Tuteja in connection with an alleged liquor scam linked to money laundering in the state. The arrest came after the ED detained Tuteja from the Economic Offences Wing (EOW)/Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) office in Raipur, where he and his son Yash Tuteja were recording their statements regarding the same case.
The ED’s action follows the filing of a fresh money laundering case in the alleged liquor scam, as the Supreme Court recently quashed its earlier FIR based on an Income Tax Department complaint. The agency initiated its probe after sharing details with the state EOW/ACB, leading to the registration of a new FIR and subsequently, the ED registering a new money laundering case.
According to official sources, money amounting to around ₹2,000 crore was allegedly “illegally” collected from every bottle of liquor sold in Chhattisgarh. The ED has claimed to have uncovered evidence of “unprecedented” corruption and money laundering orchestrated by an alcohol syndicate led by Anwar Dhebar, the elder brother of Raipur Mayor Anwar Dhebar.
The retired IAS officer is now in custody under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and is expected to appear before a magistrate for remand proceedings. This development underscores the ED’s continued efforts to investigate and prosecute cases of financial irregularities and corruption, particularly in high-profile sectors like the liquor industry.
Sources By Agencies
