Former Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Secretary Arrested in Liquor Scam Investigation

Saumya Chaurasia, the former deputy chief secretary of Chhattisgarh, has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a significant liquor scam that allegedly occurred between 2019 and 2022. This case involves a network of bureaucrats and politicians accused of running a parallel excise department, leading to substantial financial misconduct. The investigation has already implicated numerous individuals, including former state officials and the son of the former chief minister. As the case unfolds, further details regarding Chaurasia's involvement and the extent of the alleged corruption are expected to emerge.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 17, 2025, 21:22 IST

Arrest of Saumya Chaurasia

On Tuesday, the Enforcement Directorate apprehended Saumya Chaurasia, who previously held the position of deputy chief secretary during the Congress administration in Chhattisgarh. This arrest is linked to an alleged liquor scam that reportedly occurred between 2019 and 2022.

Saurabh Kumar Pandey, representing the central agency, informed a news outlet that Chaurasia is set to appear before a special court in Raipur that deals with the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, where further details regarding her alleged involvement will be disclosed.

In January 2024, the Chhattisgarh Anti-Corruption Bureau initiated an investigation into the liquor scam, prompted by complaints from the Enforcement Directorate. The bureau claims that a network of bureaucrats and politicians operated a parallel excise department during the leadership of former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, allowing liquor sales without contributing any revenue to the state.

The first information report implicated 70 individuals, including former Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma, Special Secretary Arun Pati Tripathi, and IAS officer Anil Tuteja, all facing charges of corruption, cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act.

In September, the Enforcement Directorate also arrested Chaitanya Baghel, the son of former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, in connection with this case. The agency's chargesheet claimed that Chaitanya was the 'controller and ultimate authority' of an organized liquor syndicate in the state, allegedly managing around Rs 1,000 crore from the scam.

Earlier in March, searches were conducted at 14 locations in Durg district associated with Chaitanya Baghel.

Chaurasia, who is a state administrative service officer, was previously detained by the ED in December 2022 concerning a separate Rs 540-crore coal scam. She was granted bail by the Supreme Court in May.

Following the Bharatiya Janata Party's rise to power in Chhattisgarh in 2023, the Anti-Corruption Bureau filed three cases against Chaurasia in 2024, including one related to disproportionate assets.