SC denies bail to Chhattisgarh businessman Anwar Dhebar in liquor case.
By : Krishna Mishra
Supreme Court rejects bail plea of Anwar Dhebar in Chhattisgarh liquor scam case
In a major setback for businessman Anwar Dhebar, the Supreme Court on Monday dismissed his bail plea in the Chhattisgarh liquor scam, calling the charges against him serious. A bench of justices MM Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh observed that Dhebar had a distinct and key role in the case.
The Chhattisgarh government, opposing the plea, described Dhebar as the lynchpin of the excise scam syndicate. It alleged that he was involved in manipulating tender conditions and influencing market share distribution. The state also claimed Dhebar maintained close ties with former excise department officials and acted as an intermediary between them.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Dhebar, pointed to a May 19 order in which the top court had granted him bail in a related money laundering case. He highlighted that Dhebar had already spent over 540 days in jail and the trial was unlikely to conclude soon, citing 41 accused and over 700 witnesses in the case.
However, the bench remained unconvinced, noting that Dhebar was a privileged and resourceful individual capable of influencing proceedings.
Senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, representing the state, countered that Dhebar was accused under Section 467 of the Indian Penal Code, which carries a life sentence, and that his involvement was deeper than in the money laundering case. He said Dhebar played a central role in a scam that caused losses of over ₹4,000 crore to the state exchequer, with the ED estimating the amount at ₹2,100 crore.
The state argued that Dhebar’s custodial interrogation was crucial to further unravel the scam and added that earlier court orders barring coercive action had hampered the investigation.
In previous proceedings, the Chhattisgarh government had submitted WhatsApp chats recovered from Dhebar’s phone, which allegedly showed him coordinating with top excise officials, including Arun Pati Tripathi and retired bureaucrat Anil Tuteja. Dhebar was accused of passing on instructions and receiving updates on bribe collections.
The prosecution alleged that a parallel liquor distribution system was operated in the state using fake holograms, rigged tenders, and illicit profits. Dhebar, who is the brother of former Raipur mayor and Congress leader Aijaz Dhebar, is believed to have played a crucial role in this system, which resulted in massive revenue losses for the state.