After Liquor and Land Scams, Suspended IAS Vinay Chaubey Named in ‘Large-Scale’ Corruption Case

Key Points

The legal troubles of suspended IAS officer Vinay Chaubey intensified after the Jharkhand Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) registered a fresh FIR against him in November 2025, accusing him and seven others of large-scale corruption. Chaubey is already in judicial custody in connection with alleged liquor and land scam cases.

According to ACB officials, the probe found a substantial gap between Chaubey’s lawful earnings and the assets detected during the investigation. While his legitimate income over the relevant period has been estimated at ₹2.20 crore, investigators traced deposits amounting to ₹3.47 crore in bank accounts operated by Chaubey and those held by his relatives and associates. The agency has flagged unexplained assets worth ₹1.27 crore, which officials said is nearly 53% higher than his known income.

The latest FIR names Chaubey’s wife Swapna Sanchita, his close associate Vinay Singh, Singh’s wife Sanchita Singh, Chaubey’s brother-in-law Shipij Trivedi, sister-in-law Priyanka Trivedi and his father-in-law S.N. Trivedi. Both Chaubey and Vinay Singh are currently lodged in jail in separate cases linked to excise and land-related irregularities.

Investigators allege that Chaubey created an elaborate financial network to conceal the origin of funds. The ACB claims that bank accounts belonging to his wife, in-laws and a trusted associate were routinely used to route money through cash deposits, RTGS transfers, loan repayments, real estate transactions and dealings involving private companies. These layered transactions, officials said, were aimed at masking the flow of illicit earnings.

Vinay Singh, described by investigators as a key investor in the alleged illegal assets, is suspected to have acted as the “receiver and operator” of the proceeds. Multiple transactions in his accounts have been flagged as suspicious. His wife, Sanchita Singh, is also alleged to have played an active role in facilitating the movement of funds.

The ACB has further claimed that Chaubey relied extensively on the bank accounts of his brother-in-law, sister-in-law and father-in-law to park and circulate money. Officials involved in the probe said they have found evidence of financial irregularities linked to nearly every posting held by Chaubey. These include alleged wrongdoing connected to a land scam in Hazaribagh and a liquor scam in Ranchi, with additional postings now under scrutiny.

Following the registration of the FIR, ACB teams have begun detailed tracing of bank account records, digital data, mobile phone trails, property documents and other financial transactions linked to Chaubey and the co-accused. Officials said the investigation would focus on establishing the source of funds and the role played by each accused in allegedly laundering the money.

See Also: Gujarat IAS Arrested in ₹10 Crore PMLA Case—ED Alleges Bribery in Granting Land Approval Forms

Vinay Chaubey Named in Land and Liquor Scams

Chaubey’s latest case adds to a series of ongoing investigations against him. In May 2025, he was arrested by the ACB in connection with an alleged liquor scam in Jharkhand. The bureau has accused him of colluding with a Chhattisgarh-based liquor syndicate to influence the formulation of a new excise policy in Jharkhand during his tenure as Excise Secretary. The policy, implemented on 31 March 2022, caused an estimated loss of ₹38 crore to the state.

The liquor scam has its roots in Chhattisgarh, where a Raipur-based syndicate is accused of supplying liquor using fake holograms. The alleged scam is said to have extended to Jharkhand between 2019 and 2022. Chaubey was named as an accused alongside officials from Chhattisgarh after a preliminary investigation by the Jharkhand ACB, which followed an FIR registered by the Chhattisgarh Economic Offences Wing.

In addition to the excise case, Chaubey is also facing a land scam investigation. He is accused of illegally converting 2.75 acres of ‘Khasmahal’ land in Hazaribagh, which is designated to remain under government control, and reallocating it to private individuals during his tenure as Deputy Commissioner. That case is also being investigated by the ACB.

In August 2025, Chaubey was granted default bail in the liquor scam case after the ACB failed to file a chargesheet within the stipulated 90-day period, citing the non-receipt of prosecution sanction. However, he continues to face custody and court proceedings in other connected cases. His bail plea in the land scam matter is currently pending before the Jharkhand High Court.

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