Enforcement Directorate files money‑laundering case against 19 in Arunachal‑Assam liquor smuggling ring
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a prosecution complaint under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, against 19 accused – five individuals (Sanjay Dewan, Niraj Sharma, Rajan Lohia, Shankar Deb and Sameer Mehta) and 14 bonded‑warehouse entities – for operating a large‑scale liquor‑smuggling and money‑laundering network between Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
The investigation was triggered by 173 FIRs lodged by Assam police along the Assam‑Arunachal border. The racket allegedly manufactured liquor in Arunachal Pradesh and moved it into Assam without valid transit permits or excise verification certificates to evade higher excise duty and VAT. Assam excise authorities seized more than 2.63 lakh bulk litres of the illicit liquor, valued at about Rs 52.77 crore, in 739 incidents between January 2023 and April 2026 – only a fraction of the purported total.
Banking analysis by the ED found cash deposits of roughly Rs 1,047.93 crore across nine wholesale companies. The funds were transferred via RTGS/NEFT to 14 bonded‑warehouse firms, pooled at manufacturing levels, and presented as legitimate business profit before being diverted into personal and Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) accounts and invested in immovable property. The agency also seized cash and froze bank balances and fixed deposits worth several crores.
Entities: Assam Police · Assam‑Arunachal liquor racket · Enforcement Directorate · Enforcement Directorate (India) · Neeraj Sharma · Rajan Lohia · Sanjay Diwan
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The five main accused are Sanjay Diwan, Neeraj Sharma, Rajan Lohia, Shankar Deb and Sameer Mehta. (All three articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The racket involved illicit production of liquor in Arunachal Pradesh and illegal transport to Assam to evade excise duty and VAT. (All three articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Authorities seized over 2.63 lakh bulk litres of liquor valued at about ₹52.77 crore, which represented only a fraction of the alleged total smuggled volume. (All three articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Sanjay Diwan, Neeraj Sharma and Rajan Lohia controlled a network of manufacturing units, bonded warehouses, wholesalers and retailers in the liquor trade. (All three articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Banking analysis found cash deposits of approximately ₹1,047.93 crore across nine wholesale companies. (All three articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Assam police recorded 173 FIRs at Assam‑Arunachal border districts that prompted the ED investigation. (All three articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Enforcement Directorate filed a complaint under the Prevention of Money‑Laundering Act, 2002 against 19 persons. (All three articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The funds were transferred via RTGS and NEFT to 14 bonded‑warehouse companies and later shown as legitimate business profit. (All three articles)
- [● 5 SOURCES] Enforcement Directorate filed a case against 19 individuals under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 for a liquor smuggling and money‑laundering racket between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. (new)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The racket involved illegal production of liquor in Arunachal Pradesh and its smuggling to Assam without transit permits or excise verification certificates. (All three articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The funds were transferred through RTGS and NEFT to 14 bonded‑warehouse companies, then pooled at the manufacturing level and shown as legitimate business profits. (All three articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The three principal accused—Sanjay Diwan, Neeraj Sharma and Rajan Lohia—controlled a network of manufacturing units, bonded warehouses, wholesale distributors and retail outlets, effectively monopol (All three articles)