ED Takes Action In Jharkhand Liquor Scam Case; Initiates Action Over RIMS Land Encroachment

Ranchi: In the high-profile liquor scam case in Jharkhand, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued summons for questioning to former minister and Congress MLA Rameshwar Oraon, his son Rohit Oraon, and Amit Prakash, a retired IAS officer from the Excise Department. Meanwhile, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has taken significant action in the widely discussed case involving the illegal encroachment of government land belonging to RIMS in Ranchi for the construction and sale of apartments; the ACB has arrested Shubham Sabu, a builder associated with the Lucky Group.

What action has the Enforcement Directorate taken? 

According to reports, the ED has not only summoned Congress MLA Rameshwar Oraon, his son Rohit Oraon, and retired IAS officer Amit Prakash for questioning regarding the liquor scam but has also directed them to produce relevant documents. The investigative agency believes it is essential to probe their roles in the alleged scam linked to the liquor trade in Jharkhand.
Specifically, Rohit Oraon's role in facilitating the entry of Chhattisgarh-based companies into the Jharkhand market is under scrutiny. This action follows the ED's takeover of the case (Case No. 9/2025) originally registered by the ACB. Based on this, the ED registered an ECIR (No. 10/2025) and has advanced its investigation. Prior to this, the agency had already questioned some of the accused arrested in connection with the case.
It is worth noting that the ACB had registered an FIR in this matter in 2025, naming several officials and other individuals as accused. Now, with the widening scope of the ED's investigation, several new names are also coming under scrutiny.

What action did the ACB take? 

Separately, in the high-profile case concerning the illegal encroachment of government land belonging to RIMS in Ranchi for the construction and sale of apartments, the ACB has taken major action by arresting Lucky Group builder Shubham Sabu. The ACB team is conducting continuous raids to locate other accused individuals involved in the case. According to official sources, apartments and houses were constructed on a large scale after illegally encroaching upon the government land owned by RIMS. High Court Orders Demolition of Illegal Construction
During the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in this matter, the High Court ordered the demolition of the illegal construction. Subsequently, the district administration took action and removed the encroachment. During the proceedings, the High Court remarked that such large-scale encroachment on government land would not have been possible without the collusion of the concerned officials. Following this, the investigation into the case was handed over to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
Based on the investigation, an FIR was registered against the then zonal officials, builders, and middlemen. The ACB's probe also revealed that approximately ₹14 crore had been spent on the illegal construction carried out on the government land.
It is alleged that government land was usurped through the creation of forged documents and fabricated genealogical records; multi-storey apartments were then constructed on the land, and the flats were sold. The ACB is now investigating the roles of other accused persons linked to this entire network. Officials state that further arrests could be made as the investigation progresses.