Arvind Singh and Trilok Singh Dhillon Arrested in Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam
Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], July 4: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Raipur has arrested Arvind Singh and Trilok Singh Dhillon as part of an ongoing investigation into a liquor scam in Chhattisgarh. The arrests were made on July 1 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, and both individuals have been placed in ED custody until July 6.
The ED announced the arrests on social media, stating, “Arvind Singh and Trilok Singh Dhillon were arrested on July 1, 2024, under the provisions of PMLA, 2002 in the ongoing money laundering investigation into the Liquor scam in the State of Chhattisgarh.” The Special Court (PMLA) in Raipur granted ED custody until July 6, 2024.
In May, the ED provisionally attached 18 movable and 161 immovable properties worth approximately Rs 205.49 crore in connection with the alleged Rs 2000 crore liquor scam. The properties include:
| Person | Properties | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Anil Tuteja | 14 properties | Rs 15.82 crore |
| Anwar Dhebar | 115 properties | Rs 116.16 crore |
| Vikash Agarwal | 3 properties | Rs 1.54 crore |
| Arvind Singh | 33 properties | Rs 12.99 crore |
| Arunpati Tripathi | 1 property | Rs 1.35 crore |
| Trilok Singh Dhillon | 9 properties | Rs 28.13 crore |
| Naveen Kedia | Jewellery | Rs 27.96 crore |
| Asheesh Saurabh Kedia/Dishita Ventures Pvt. Ltd. | Movable properties | Rs 1.2 crore |
| M/s Nexgen Engitech Power Pvt. Ltd. | One vehicle | Rs 0.13 lakh |
The attached properties of Anwar Dhebar include Hotel Vennington Court in Raipur and a commercial building named ‘Accord Business Tower.’ The ED stated that the corruption in the liquor scam, which occurred between 2019 and 2022, involved multiple methods, including bribes collected from distillers and the sale of unaccounted country liquor. The illegal liquor was sold in state-run shops, and the proceeds were pocketed by the syndicate.
Bribes were also collected from distillers to form a cartel with a fixed market share, and commissions were collected from licensed dealers of foreign liquor. Anil Tuteja, who was arrested on April 21, is currently in ED custody.
