Liquor mafia spectre looms over case

The CBI suspects that liquor syndicate played an active role in managing votes for an independent candidate during March 30 Rajya Sabha election that was countermanded following allegations of horse trading.

During a raid on the premises of Vishnu Bhaiya, JMM MLA from Jamtara, the CBI on April 21, had seized Toyota Fortuner vehicle and Rs four lakh from the possession of Bhaiya. During interrogation, Bhaiya claimed that the said vehicle was given to him by one Yogendra Tiwari, a local businessman, who has considerable control over liquor market.

During investigation it was revealed that the vehicle was purchased a day after polling with cash payment of Rs 25 Lakh. Vehicle was purchased against the name of a business firm Chakrapani Commodities Private Limited having its office in Kolkata which appears to be non-existent. The address of the company has been shown P4, New Howrah Bridge, Approach Road, Kolkata 700001 while purchase deal has been signed by one Chandan Kumar Singh, who is shown to be the manager of the said firm.

The CBI sent a team to verify the existence of the company. “No such company by this name exists. P4 is a big business premise. If the company of said name is situated in the building it must have shop number, at least. Even after we tried to trace it out and seized rental records of last three years from the possession of the building society. There was criminal intent behind, Tiwari has no convincing reply,” a CBI official said.

“Purchasing vehicle on the name of a fake business firm is itself doubtful. Another doubtful thing is that the vehicle was purchased a day after polling. Agency believes that Vishnu Bhaiya used Tiwari as front man for purchase of vehicle,” the official said.

Asked to explain was the vehicle a gift from Tiwari or purchased from money out of graft Bhaiya said: “Tiwari has already claimed ownership of vehicle. He had voluntarily offered me its use. He handed it over on April 2,” he said.

During interrogation Tiwari told the CBI that that Bhaiya had forced him to give a vehicle as he had been demanding protection money. But the CBI has doubts over the story. “Vishnu Bhaiya has been representing Jamtara from the last two terms. There is no such record or report that the MLA ever sought protection money from Tiwari,” official said.

CBI sources said that the MLA had cast second preference vote to independent candidate Pawan Kumar Dhoot which the MLA had accepted before the media after the polling.

A 32-year-old Tiwari is the story of meteoric rise in liquor business in the last five years which his father Rameswar Tiwari had established. Virtually controlling liquor business in Santhal Pargana division; Tiwari soon expanded his business in the hotel industry and constructed a big hotel Utsav Landmark in Jamtara. Resident of Mihizam, Tiwari was close to Congress leader Furkan Ansari.