Hazaribagh Land Scam: HC Denies Bail to Suspended IAS Officer Vinay Chaubey

Ranchi (IANS): The Jharkhand High Court rejected the bail plea of suspended IAS officer Vinay Chaubey on Tuesday, marking a significant development in the ongoing investigation into land irregularities in Hazaribagh. Chaubey has remained in judicial custody for nearly 11 months in connection with the illegal sale and purchase of Sevayat land.

Allegations of Illegal Land Transfer

The case, registered as ACB Case No. 11/2025, centres on allegations that Chaubey facilitated the illegal transfer of Sevayat land during his tenure as the Deputy Commissioner of Hazaribagh. Under Jharkhand state laws, such land—designated for the service of deities or religious institutions—is non-transferable.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) alleges that Chaubey and other officials disregarded established norms to permit these sales, violating government provisions.

Court Proceedings

Justice Anubha Rawat Choudhary heard the detailed arguments from both sides.

• Prosecution Argument: Special Public Prosecutor Sumit Garodia, representing the ACB, opposed the bail, citing the serious nature of the case and the involvement of influential persons. He argued that releasing Chaubey could compromise the ongoing investigation.
• Defense Argument: Senior Advocate R.S. Mazumdar argued that Chaubey had already served a lengthy period in jail and had cooperated with investigators, justifying his release.

The court had reserved its order on Thursday before delivering the final rejection on Tuesday.

The Larger Investigation

The ACB has named 73 individuals in the case, including:

• Vinay Singh (Chaubey’s associate) and his wife, Snigdha Singh.
• Pradeep Prasad (Hazaribagh MLA).
• Shailesh Kumar (Then Circle Officer).
• Vijay Singh (Middleman).

The bureau continues to scrutinize financial transactions and land documents as it probes the broader network involved in the scam.