Under the leadership of CM Vishnu Deo Sai, Chhattisgarh Government is consistently implementing a firm Zero Tolerance policy against corruption. In the widely discussed liquor scam of Rs 3,200 crore that took place during the previous regime, Shri Sai’s government has undertaken its most extensive crackdown to date by suspending 22 out of the 29 accused Excise Department officials. This suspension drive is being regarded as one of the largest anti-corruption actions ever taken by any Indian state government.
The suspended officials are accused of accumulating movable and immovable assets through illegal means, earning approximately Rs 88 crore through corrupt practices between 2019 and 2023.
A comprehensive investigation carried out by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) and the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has revealed that the entire scam was being orchestrated by a coordinated syndicate, in which the accused Excise officials played a central role. One of the officials named in the case has passed away, while seven others have retired from service. In the fifth supplementary chargesheet filed in court on 7 July, a 138-page summary, 2,100 pages of primary documents, and the names of 227 witnesses have been submitted as evidence against these officers.
Following these revelations, Chhattisgarh Government wasted no time in suspending the 22 officials. Those suspended include Excise Deputy Commissioners Animesh Netam, Arvind Kumar Patle, Neetu Notani, Nohar Singh Thakur, and Vijay Sen Sharma. Moreover, Assistant Excise Commissioners Pramod Kumar Netam, Vikas Kumar Goswami, Naveen Pratap Singh Tomar, Rajesh Jaiswal, Manjushree Kaser, Dinkar Vasnik, Ashish Kosam, Saurabh Bakshi, Prakash Pal, Ramkrishna Mishra, Alakh Ram Kaser, Sonal Netam, and District Excise Officers Mohit Kumar Jaiswal, Gareebpal Singh Dardi, Iqbal Ahmad Khan, Janardan Singh Kaurav, and Nitin Kumar Khanduja have also been suspended.
It is noteworthy that several major scams took place during the five-year tenure of the previous government, many of which are now under investigation by central and state agencies. One after another, the guilty are being brought to justice. Simultaneously, the state government is also conducting thorough investigations into the DMF scam, Mahadev betting app scam, and the tendu leaf procurement scam. In each of these, the government is ensuring that any individual found involved faces the strictest possible action. Over the past two years alone, the ACB has apprehended more than 200 corrupt officials, a compelling testament to the state government’s Zero Tolerance stance.
Under CM Vishnu Deo Sai’s leadership, the government is not only taking action against corruption but also placing the highest priority on good governance and transparent administration. To this end, procurement through the GeM portal has been made mandatory; the e-Office system has been rolled out; and more than 350 reforms have been introduced to make the investment environment transparent, corruption-free and efficient. Additionally, under the upgraded Single Window System 2.0, the process for obtaining No Objection Certificates (NOCs) has been significantly streamlined.
In the Excise Department, the FL-10 policy has been abolished and replaced with a transparent framework. Holograms printed at the Nashik Security Press have been made mandatory on both domestic and foreign liquor bottles to prevent the sale of counterfeit liquor. Similarly, the process for mineral transit passes has been completely digitised, an e-auction system for timber has been launched, and a dedicated Department of Good Governance and Convergence has been established to ensure more effective implementation of government schemes.
Chhattisgarh Government has also handed over the investigation into the irregularities in the PSC-2021 examination to the CBI, which has since arrested the then Chairman of the Commission. The EOW has been entrusted with the task of probing the Bharatmala project and CGMSC scams, in which several officials have already been suspended. This Action Against Corruption has extended to officers of all levels, including those from the IAS and IFS cadres, as well as state services.
CM Vishnu Deo Sai has categorically stated that the scam occurred during the tenure of the previous government, and none of the guilty will be spared. “There is no place for corruption in the state anymore. Our government is committed to delivering a transparent, accountable and honest administration to the people,” he emphasized