The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Anil Tuteja on Sunday in connection with a money laundering case tied to the alleged liquor scam in Chhattisgarh. The arrest follows the agency’s investigation into corrupt practices within the state’s liquor industry. Tuteja, who retired from service in 2023, is charged under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). He will be presented before a magistrate court for remand, according to news agency PTI.
Anil Tuteja’s arrest comes just a day after he and his son Yash were summoned by the ED for questioning in Raipur. Tuteja, who cracked the UPSC civil services examination in 2003, was most recently serving as the joint secretary in Chhattisgarh’s industry and commerce department.
The alleged liquor scam involves corruption and illegal activities within Chhattisgarh’s state-run liquor industry. The ED alleges that between 2019 and 2022, officials from the Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation Limited (CSMCL) accepted bribes from distillers, leading to significant financial irregularities. The probe agency claims that these illicit activities generated ₹2,161 crore in corruption money, which should have been directed to the state exchequer. The money was reportedly collected from every bottle of liquor sold in Chhattisgarh by an alcohol syndicate, allegedly led by Anwar Dhebar and Anil Tuteja.
In July 2023, the ED filed a chargesheet in this case, outlining the details of the scam and the extensive corruption involved. The recent arrest follows the Supreme Court’s decision to quash an earlier First Information Report (FIR), prompting the ED to file a new money laundering case in April. This fresh case allows the ED to re-investigate the charges and move forward with their examination of the evidence.
The ongoing investigation highlights the significant corruption challenges within Chhattisgarh’s liquor industry and the broader implications for governance and accountability. The arrest of Anil Tuteja underscores the seriousness of these allegations and the ED’s commitment to pursuing justice in this high-profile case.
