Pune: Amit Salunke of Sumeet Facilities Arrested in Rs 450 Crore Jharkhand Liquor Scam

Pune/Ranchi, 25th July 2025: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of the Jharkhand Police on Wednesday made another major arrest in the Jharkhand liquor scam, detaining Amit Prabhakar Salunke, director of Pune-based manpower supply firm Sumeet Facilities Limited, for his alleged role in facilitating irregularities in the state’s excise operations. This is the 11th arrest in the high-profile case involving an alleged ₹450 crore embezzlement.

Salunke was summoned for questioning by the ACB and taken into custody based on details obtained during the interrogation of Chhattisgarh liquor businessman Siddharth Singhania, who is already under arrest.

According to officials, Sumeet Facilities, under Salunke’s direction, played a significant part in the implementation of Jharkhand’s excise policy in May 2022. Investigators revealed that Singhania facilitated the deployment of four manpower agencies, including Sumeet Facilities, to manage operations in Jharkhand.

“These agencies operated for nearly eight months before they were removed and blacklisted following the exposure of financial irregularities,” said an ACB official. “Salunke’s arrest is based on material evidence and his link with key players in the scam.”

Pune: Sumeet Facilities Ltd Refutes Allegations Against Director Amit Salunke, Calls Claims Baseless

The scam came to light when the Excise and Prohibition Department filed a petition in the Supreme Court, accusing the agencies of defrauding the government of ₹450 crore. The matter is currently sub judice.

High-Profile Arrests in the Case
So far, the ACB has arrested several senior bureaucrats and businessmen, including:
Vinay Kumar Chaubey, former Principal Secretary, Excise Department
Gajendra Singh, Joint Commissioner of Excise (currently out on bail)
Sudhir Kumar Das and Sudhir Kumar, both former Finance GMs
Amit Prakash, former Commissioner of Excise
Neeraj Kumar Singh, of Marshan placement agency
Siddharth Singhania, liquor trader from Chhattisgarh
Vidhu Gupta, of Prism Holography
Atul Kumar Singh, of Shri Om Sai Beverages
Mukesh Manchanda, another key accused
The investigation has exposed a network of bureaucrats and private firms accused of colluding to manipulate manpower contracts and liquor distribution processes for financial gain.