ED raids 11 sites in MP over Rs 49-cr liquor scam

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday launched search and seizure operations on 11 premises linked to various liquor contractors across Bhopal, Indore and Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh.

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According to official sources, the raids were part of an ongoing investigation into a multi-crore revenue loss scam. The agency initiated the probe based on a First Information Report (FIR) filed against the contractors for allegedly defrauding the government of Rs 49.42 crore between the financial years 2015-16 and 2017-18.

The authorities alleged that the contractors manipulated treasury challans and unlawfully obtained NOCs to acquire liquor during this period.

Investigators found that the accused contractors deposited challans with small amounts into banks but left the “amount in words” section blank. “In the prescribed format of the challan, ‘Rs in figures’ and ‘Rs in words’ were written. The value was filled only in figures,” sources said.