Ranchi: Rohit Oraon, son of Jharkhand Congress MLA and former Finance Minister Rameshwar Oraon, did not appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday for questioning in connection with the alleged liquor scam in the state.
Rohit Oraon has written to the agency seeking additional time to appear.
Meanwhile, former minister Rameshwar Oraon has been summoned by the ED for questioning on June 30.
According to sources, both Rohit Oraon and Rameshwar Oraon, in separate communications to the agency, have said they require more time to prepare documents related to their defence.
The ED has not yet taken a decision on their request.
Sources indicated that if they fail to appear on the stipulated date, the agency may issue fresh summons within a week.
The ED is probing the alleged money trail and the role of private companies in the implementation of Jharkhand’s new excise policy. It suspects that Rohit Oraon’s role needs to be examined in the process through which certain Chhattisgarh-based companies were awarded contracts for liquor supply and manpower services in Jharkhand.
The agency is specifically examining financial transactions and digital evidence linked to the entry of a Chhattisgarh-based firm into Jharkhand and the award of contracts to it.
On August 23, 2023, the ED had conducted searches at 32 locations across Ranchi, Dhanbad, Giridih, Deoghar, Dumka, Godda, Jamtara, and Kolkata. During these searches, Rs 30 lakh in cash was recovered from Rohit Oraon’s residence in Ranchi. The agency is also probing possible links between the seized cash and alleged investments.
Notably, the ED registered an ECIR under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), based on FIR No. 9/2025 filed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). The FIR pertains to alleged irregularities in the implementation of the new excise policy.
The ACB had named 10 accused in the case, including senior IAS officer Vinay Chaubey, then Joint Secretary of the Excise Department Gajendra Singh, and Vinay Singh, among others.
The ED is now examining the flow of funds, investments, and the role of beneficiaries linked to the alleged irregularities. The agency had earlier questioned some accused persons in jail.
The investigation is now expanding to the political and administrative levels, which continues to draw the attention of the public.
(IANS)
