The Supreme Court has granted bail to former Chhattisgarh Excise Secretary and Excise Commissioner Niranjan Das in both the alleged liquor scam case investigated by the Economic Offences Wing/Anti-Corruption Bureau and the connected money laundering case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice Vipul M. Pancholi, noted that the petitioner who was arrested in September and December 2025 respectively in the predicate offence and PMLA case, had allegedly exercised control over the excise policy process and was accused of being complicit in framing a “beneficial policy” to perpetrate the alleged crime.
In the ED case, the Court recorded that the petitioner was described as “one of the kingpins” and the “orchestrator” of the alleged offence. However, the Court took note of the fact that the investigation against him had been completed, chargesheets and statutory complaints had already been filed, and several co-accused had already secured bail either from the Supreme Court or the High Court. The Bench also observed that the trial was yet to commence formally and was likely to take a reasonable long time to conclude.
“Taking into consideration all the attending circumstances, however, without expressing any opinion on merits, the prayer for bail is allowed,” the Court said while directing his release on the same conditions imposed on co-accused persons.
Arguments in Court
Petitioner is a retired bureaucrat who served as Secretary, Excise Commissioner and held key positions linked to the state excise administration, was alleged to be part of the larger liquor syndicate investigated in connection with the alleged excise scam in Chhattisgarh. Investigating agencies have alleged that illegal commissions were generated through the manipulation of liquor distribution systems, including the alleged use of fake holograms and unlawful sale mechanisms.
Petitioner submitted that almost all co-accused in both the predicate offence and the PMLA proceedings had already been granted bail, while he alone continued to remain in custody.
It was informed the Court that in the EOW matter, 24 out of 25 arrested accused had already secured bail and Das was “the only one left.” Similarly, in the ED matter, out of nine arrested accused, eight had already been enlarged on bail.
He further argued that the investigation qua petitioner was complete and prosecution complaints had already been filed, while trial was unlikely to conclude anytime soon, considering the scale of the proceedings.
The Court was informed that the predicate offence involved around 55 accused and nearly 1200 witnesses, while the ED case involved 81 accused, 117 witnesses and approximately 200 statements recorded under Section 50 of the PMLA.
Opposing the plea, the Enforcement Directorate contended that Das played a central role in the alleged syndicate. The ED submitted:
“His role was omnipresent. He was Secretary Excise, Commissioner Excise…”
The agency further alleged that the syndicate functioned under his supervision and fake holograms were used for the illegal circulation of liquor.
