Ranchi, April 3– Babulal Marandi, the Leader of Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly, on Tuesday called for an FIR and the blacklisting of two liquor agencies in the state, accusing them of financial irregularities. Marandi, in a letter to Chief Secretary Alka Tiwari, raised concerns over the operation of liquor shops managed by the Jharkhand State Beverages Corporation Limited (JSBCL).
In his letter, Marandi highlighted the role of seven placement agencies that provided around 4,500 workers for the operation and management of liquor stores across the state since 2022. However, he raised alarms over two agencies—Marshan Innovative Security Pvt. Ltd. and Vision Hospitality Service & Consultants Pvt. Ltd.—which were awarded contracts for staffing in Hazaribagh and Dhanbad districts, despite allegedly submitting fake bank guarantees.
“JSBCL deposited a fake bank guarantee and obtained the work order,” Marandi said, adding that after this fraudulent activity came to light, no action was taken by the authorities. He submitted evidence in the form of letters from banks to JSBCL, including one from Punjab & Sind Bank in New Delhi confirming the fake guarantee provided by Vision Hospitality in January 2024, and another from Bandhan Bank in Kolkata, which flagged the guarantee from Marshan Innovative Security in March 2024.
Despite these warnings, Marandi accused JSBCL officials of covering up the fraud, allowing the agencies to continue their operations. He urged the state government to investigate the matter, blacklist the involved agencies, and take disciplinary action against the officials who failed to act on the fraud.
“This is a serious economic crime,” Marandi said, emphasizing that the state lost more than ₹25 crore in sales revenue because the two agencies failed to deposit the amounts to JSBCL. He also urged Chief Secretary Tiwari to suspend the responsible officials and ensure that such irregularities do not occur again.
Marandi’s letter comes as the state continues to face scrutiny over its handling of financial discrepancies and government contracts, with his party, the BJP, pushing for accountability and transparency in the administration.
