In Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh, a special Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) court has turned down the bail application of suspended IAS officer Vinay Kumar Chaubey. He’s facing serious charges in a massive multi-crore land scam case that unfolded during his time as a top official.
Chaubey, a 1999-batch IAS officer from the Jharkhand cadre, is no stranger to trouble. He got arrested back in May after hours of grilling in the state’s high-profile liquor scam. The court granted him bail in that case on August 19 because the ACB couldn’t file the chargesheet on time. But now, with this latest ruling on the Hazaribagh land scam, he’ll stay locked up in Ranchi’s Birsa Munda Central Jail.
The land scam dates back to Chaubey’s days as Deputy Commissioner in Hazaribagh from 2008 to 2010. ACB probes reveal that 2.75 acres of valuable Khas Mahal land—originally leased to Sevayat Trust in 1948 for just 30 years—got illegally transferred to 23 private individuals after the lease ended in 1978. Investigators point to an “administrative conspiracy” that made this possible, and they say Chaubey’s involvement looks highly suspicious.
Last month, the ACB filed an FIR (Case No. 9/2025) and named Chaubey as a key accused in the Jharkhand land scam. During the bail hearing on September 12, the court heard arguments from both sides before reserving its order. Chaubey’s lawyer, Shankar, fought his case, while Special Public Prosecutor Abhishek Krishna Gupta represented the ACB.
Chaubey has climbed high in Jharkhand’s administration, serving as Secretary to Chief Minister Hemant Soren and heading the Excise Department. But his arrest in May led to his suspension, and these ongoing Jharkhand corruption cases—both the land scam and liquor scam—are shaking up the state’s bureaucracy. The ACB keeps digging deeper, so more twists could be on the way.
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
