The Economic Offences Wing seized 16 trucks and sealed two distilleries in Bilaspur and Durg as the multi-million dollar Chhattisgarh liquor scam investigation widens.
RAIPUR, March 30, 2026 — Investigators with the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) and Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) seized 16 heavy vehicles and shuttered two major distilleries across Chhattisgarh this week. The raids represent a significant escalation in the ongoing probe into a systemic liquor scam that has dogged the state’s political and business elite for over two years.
Teams moved simultaneously on locations in Bilaspur and Durg. At the heart of the action were two facilities: Chhattisgarh Distilleries Limited in Kumhari and Welcome Distilleries in Bilaspur. Officials didn’t just knock on doors; they halted logistics, impounding a fleet of trucks allegedly used to move unaccounted product outside the official state supply chain.
It’s a numbers game that doesn’t add up for the owners. The EOW alleges these distilleries were central nodes in a “parallel” liquor market. By bypassing the state-run excise system, players reportedly siphoned off hundreds of crores in revenue that should’ve landed in the public treasury.
The scale is staggering. Sources within the investigation confirmed the 16 seized trucks were being vetted for registration discrepancies and unauthorized transit permits. They’ve been hauled to secure locations while forensic accountants dive into the ledger books seized during the same window.
But why now?
The EOW has been under pressure to show results after months of high-profile arrests, including senior bureaucrats and political aides. This latest strike targets the infrastructure of the alleged fraud, moving beyond the paper trail to the actual physical assets used to manufacture and transport the spirits.
According to agency documents, the scam operated by printing duplicate holograms and selling unvetted liquor through state-run shops. The profit stayed in private pockets. By sealing the distilleries in Kumhari and Bilaspur, the state is effectively cutting off the tap at its source.
Local authorities in Durg confirmed that the Kumhari facility remained under heavy guard following the raid. Employees were sent home as investigators began a “bottle-by-bottle” audit of the existing stock. It wasn’t just about the finished product; raw materials and blending equipment are also under the microscope to determine if the production capacity matched the figures reported to the Excise Department.
The fallout is hitting the local economy too. Hundreds of workers are now sitting idle as the gates remain locked under official seal. In Bilaspur, the sight of 16 trucks being escorted away by police provided a grim visual for a region long-accustomed to the cozy relationship between industry and the capital.
The investigation hasn’t stopped at the factory gates. It’s common knowledge in Raipur that these distilleries don’t operate in a vacuum. The EOW is currently tracing the ownership structures of Welcome Distilleries and Chhattisgarh Distilleries Limited to see where the money flowed once it left the loading docks.
They’ve already named several “high-value individuals” in prior filings. This week’s seizures are expected to provide the physical evidence needed to bridge the gap between backroom deals and front-line distribution.
“The law is catching up to the logistics,” a senior official close to the probe said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they aren’t authorized to brief the press. The official noted that the seized trucks are being checked against GPS data to reconstruct the “illegal routes” used to ferry non-duty paid liquor across state lines.
It’s a messy, expensive business.
The Chhattisgarh liquor case has already seen the Enforcement Directorate (ED) involved, with claims that the total corruption figure tops 2,000 crore rupees. While the EOW focuses on the local criminal aspect, the federal agencies are watching the money laundering trail.
What happens to the seized fleet? They’ll likely sit in a police lot for months, if not years, as the case winds through the Special Court. For the people of Chhattisgarh, the sight of those 16 trucks is a reminder of how much public wealth was allegedly driven away in broad daylight.
The EOW is expected to file a supplementary chargesheet within the coming weeks. That document will likely include the forensic findings from the Bilaspur and Durg raids, potentially naming more logistics partners and excise officials who looked the other way.
The investigation is far from over. With two major distilleries offline and a fleet of trucks in government custody, the “parallel” liquor market in Chhattisgarh has taken its hardest hit yet. Whether this leads to a permanent cleanup or just a temporary drought remains the billion-rupee question.
