Ranchi: Enforcement Directorate (Ed) arrested liquor mafia Yogendra Tiwari at around 7.15 pm on Thursday on charges of money laundering of about Rs 40 crore in the liquor scam in Jharkhand. Yogendra is also accused of spying on ED officials. ED will present Yogendra in the court of PMLA special judge on October 20. Along with this, an application will be made to take her on remand for further investigation. ED is also simultaneously investigating cases related to liquor trade in the year 2022-23. Companies from Chhattisgarh were made consultants in 2022-23. Apart from this, the same company which was printing holograms for liquor trade in Chhattisgarh was also given work in Jharkhand. ED is also investigating the liquor scam in Chhattisgarh. Yogendra Tiwari is also close to Prem Prakash. Prem Prakash is still in jail.
Yogendra Tiwari was called for questioning in the liquor scam.
ED had called Yogendra Tiwari for questioning in the liquor scam. In the light of ED’s summons, he reached the ED regional office in Ranchi at around 11:00 in the day. After intensive interrogation that lasted throughout the day, the ED arrested him at around 7:00 pm. ED has collected evidence of money laundering of Rs 40 crore by Yogendra Tiwari during the investigation of liquor scam. This amount was invested by Yogendra Tiwari and his related people in the liquor business in the state in the financial year 2021-22. This amount was collected illegally from sand, land and other businesses. Out of this, about Rs 6-7 crore was invested in Yogendra and his associated companies, while the remaining amount was invested in liquor contracting companies through shell companies of Kolkata.
There was monopoly on liquor trade in 19 districts.
Yogendra Tiwari had formed a group with his companies and other companies. Also, with the help of these companies, they had established a monopoly on liquor trade in 19 districts of the state. Bank drafts for all these companies were drawn from the same district and branch of the bank. During interrogation, Yogendra Tiwari could not give any satisfactory answer as to the reasons for making bank drafts from one place. Also, they could not provide information about the legitimate source of the money used for making the draft. ED has already interrogated Yogendra Tiwari and his brother Amarendra Tiwari during the investigation of liquor scam. ED has arrested Yogendra Tiwari on the basis of evidence and interrogation of more than 50 people associated with the liquor business.
ED had raided the premises of 33 people associated with liquor business.
To investigate the liquor scam, ED had registered IIR on the basis of FIR lodged in various districts of the state alleging irregularities in the matter of liquor, sand, land etc. After registering the IIR, on August 23, 2023, the ED had raided the premises of a total of 33 people associated with the liquor business, including Yogendra Tiwari. In the same sequence, ED had also raided the house of State Finance Minister Rameshwar Oraon. The basis for raiding the minister’s house was his son Rohit Oraon’s investment in liquor business and living with the minister.
Companies involved in wholesale trade and details of drafting
Wholesale trade company—which district’s contract—account—bank
Anand Traders—Koderma—35485090053—State Bank, Mihijam
Roopchak Enterprises—Garhwa—38241395480—State Bank, Mihizam
Roopchak Enterprises—Latehar—38241395480—State Bank, Mihijam
Vaidyanath Enterprises—Dhanbad—36240592405—State Bank, Mihizam
Gupta Traders—Bokaro—36485278490—State Bank, Mihizam
Maihar Developers—Dumka—36484757756—State Bank, Mihijam
Maihar Developers—East Singhbhum—3648757756—State Bank, Mihijam
Rajmahal Traders—Ramgarh—39377001676—State Bank, Mihijam
Saran Alcohol—Deoghar—35042556039—State Bank, Mihijam
Sanjeet Hembram—Sahibganj—37874637134—State Bank, Mihijam
Amarendra Tiwari—Jamtara—35048121989—State Bank, Mihijam
Kalyaneshwari Enterprises—Ranchi—672900100001071—Punjab National Bank, Jamtara
Zamani Enterprises—Saraykala—672900100000997—Punjab National Bank, Jamtara
Zamani Enterprises—Gumla—6729002100000997—Punjab National Bank, Jamtara
Vishwa Enterprises—Palamu—6729002100001099—Punjab National Bank, Jamtara
Vishwa Enterprises—Khunti—4492002100002729—Punjab National Bank, Dumka
Basukinath Enterprises—Hazaribag—4492002100002002—Punjab National Bank, Dumka