ED Attaches Assets Worth Over Rs 1,000 Crore in Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam Probe

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday said it has attached properties with a combined market value of more than Rs 1,000 crore as part of its ongoing investigation into the alleged Chhattisgarh liquor scam , while also naming four additional accused in the money laundering case.

The agency said three provisional attachment orders were issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) , covering assets linked to key suspects and entities allegedly involved in the scam. According to the ED, the case revolves around a liquor syndicate that purportedly manipulated the state's excise system between 2019 and 2023 , generating illegal proceeds estimated at over Rs 2,883 crore .

Investigators allege the proceeds were generated through inflated liquor procurement rates, the manufacture of unaccounted liquor, and commissions collected through FL-10A licences. Among the attached assets are properties allegedly linked to businessman Vikas Agrawal and syndicate kingpin Anwar Dhebar, a hotel in Goa allegedly acquired using illicit funds, and financial assets belonging to three liquor-related companies.

The ED has also filed its sixth supplementary prosecution complaint before a special court in Raipur, adding four new accused and taking the total number of individuals named in the case to 85 .

The latest action highlights the scale of the alleged Chhattisgarh liquor scam, one of the most significant corruption and money laundering investigations in recent years. It also underscores the growing role of financial investigations and asset-tracing mechanisms in uncovering complex corruption networks, tracking illicit funds, and strengthening accountability in high-value economic offences across the country.