MP: ED arrested two persons for liquor challan scam in Indore

Indore, Oct 6 The Enforcement Directorate (ED) of Indore sub-division of Madhya Pradesh has arrested two individuals under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in connection with an alleged Rs 50 crore fake liquor challan scam in Indore.

Those arrested were identified as Ansh Trivedi and Raju Dashwant. The action was taken on October 3. Both accused were produced before the local district court, which remanded them to ED custody till October 8, according to a statement issued by ED on Monday.

ED officials said that during the investigation, it was found that Ansh Trivedi and Raju Dashwant were the main planners behind a fake liquor challan scam. The scam helped liquor contractors make illegal profits and caused big losses to the state government.

The investigation also revealed that the accused contractors first deposited treasury challans with very small amounts and left the 'Rupees in Words' section blank.

The ED initiated an investigation based on an FIR registered at Raoji Police Station, Indore, under various sections of the IPC, 1860, against certain liquor contractors for allegedly causing a loss of approximately Rs. 49.42 crore to the state exchequer through the manipulation and forgery of government treasury challans.

The ED investigation has uncovered a fraudulent scheme wherein the accused contractors initially deposited treasury challans with nominal amounts, deliberately leaving the “Rupees in Words” section blank.

After the deposit, they fraudulently filled in inflated amounts in both figures and words.

"These manipulated challan copies were subsequently submitted to country liquor warehouses or district excise offices (in the case of foreign liquor) as false proof of payment for excise duties, Basic License Fees, or Minimum Guarantee commitments," ED said.

Based on these forged documents, the accused secured illegal NOCs and liquor license approvals, thereby defrauding the state government. This enabled the liquor contractors to illicitly obtain profits while causing significant losses to the state treasury.

Official further informed that both the accused were produced before the Hon’ble Magistrate and have been granted their custody till October 8 2025, and further investigation is in progress.

IANS

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