Soumya Chaurasia on 14 days judicial remand (Photo- Social media screengrab)
Digital Desk, New Delhi. Soumya Chaurasia, who was the deputy secretary to the former Chief Minister in the liquor scam, was sent to jail on judicial remand for 14 days. ED had arrested him on 16 December.
After his arrest, he was produced in the court on Friday after three days' remand. After Soumya's statement, ED has arrested former Excise Commissioner, suspended IAS Niranjan Das in the EOW case. Have been taken on remand.
Soumya Chaurasia accused of illegal earnings of Rs 115.5 crore
ED investigation has revealed that Soumya Chaurasia received illegal amount of about Rs 115.5 crore. The agency claims that digital evidence, seized documents and written statements prove that Soumya Chaurasia was an active member of the liquor syndicate.
According to ED, digital evidence shows that Soumya Chaurasia was the main coordinator in this entire liquor scam. She was playing an important role in the generation of illegal wealth and its money laundering by becoming a middleman between key members of the liquor syndicate, Anil Tuteja and Chaitanya Baghel.
Role in posting in excise department also
Investigation has revealed that Soumya Chaurasia also helped in preparing the initial structure of the liquor syndicate. The recovered chats have revealed that he helped Arun Pati Tripathi and Niranjan Das to be appointed to important posts in the Excise Department, thereby strengthening the entire illegal network.
Liquor scam worth more than Rs 2500 crore
According to the press release issued by ED, this investigation was initiated on the basis of FIR registered by ACB/EOW Raipur. Investigation has revealed that the Chhattisgarh liquor scam caused huge revenue loss to the state government and the scam generated illegal income of more than Rs 2500 crore.