ED conducts search and seizure actions at 11 premises belonging to different liquor contractors

Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting search and seizure actions at 11 premises belonging to different liquor contractors in Madhya Pradesh at Bhopal, Indore and Mandsaur, as per sources.

The investigation was initiated by ED on the basis of an FIR against the Liquor Contractors, for causing loss to government revenue to the tune of Rs. 49,42,45,615 through forgery and manipulation of treasury challans, and for unlawfully obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the acquisition of liquor during the period FY 2015 -16 to FY 2017-18.

The investigation conducted in the matter has revealed that accused liquor contractors used to prepare challans of small amounts and deposit them in the bank. In the prescribed format of the challan, "Rs. in figures" and "Rs in Words" were written. The value was filled in figures; however, blank space was left after "Rs. in Words".


After depositing the amount, the depositor would later write the increased amount in the form of lakh thousand in the above-mentioned blank space, and copies of the so-called challans of such increased amounts would be submitted at the respective country liquor warehouse or at the district excise office in case of Foreign Liquor, sources further revealed.

Earlier on April 26, the ED of the Lucknow unit seized cash amounting to Rs 10 lakh and jewellery worth Rs 4.89 crore during searches at seven locations in Noida, Delhi, and Gurgaon in connection with the FIIT-JEE fraud case.

The searches were conducted on April 24 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002."Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Lucknow Zonal Office, has conducted searches under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, at seven locations in Noida, Delhi and Gurgaon on 24/04/2025 in the case of the FIIT-JEE Fraud Case. The search operations were carried out at the residences of the Director D.K. Goel, CEO, COO, and CFO, as well as at the official premises of FIIT-JEE Coaching Institute," a release said.