New Delhi, Nov 14 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Thursday granted protection from arrest to retired IAS officer Anil Tuteja in connection with an FIR registered in Uttar Pradesh linked to the alleged Rs 2,000 crore Chhattisgarh liquor scam.

In July 2023, an FIR was registered in Uttar Pradesh against Tuteja and several others over the issue of duplicate holograms after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) shared information, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, with the UP Special Task Force. The ED had discovered that a Noida-based company was illegally granted a tender to supply holograms to the Chhattisgarh Excise Department.

A bench of Justices Abhay S. Oka and A.G. Masih issued notice on Tuteja’s plea against the Allahabad High Court decision refusing to quash the criminal case lodged in Uttar Pradesh.

The apex court posted the matter for further hearing on January 21, 2025, and in the meantime, ordered interim protection for Tuteja.

On October 4, the Allahabad HC had declined to accept the contention that the statements made before the ED could never be used for initiation of criminal cases. Refusing to interfere with the FIR which "disclosed the commission of the cognisable offence", it had said that the petitioners can always avail the remedy before the competent court of law for bail/anticipatory bail.

In April this year, the Supreme Court had quashed a money laundering complaint filed by the ED against Tuteja, Yash Tuteja, Anwar Dhebar, and others based on a charge sheet filed by the Income Tax Department. It had ruled that the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) could not be attracted since there exists no prima facie scheduled offence under the PMLA.

The ED had termed retired IAS official Tuteja, known to be close to then Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, as the mastermind behind the alleged liquor scam. Further, it had claimed that a criminal syndicate - comprising high-level state government officials, private individuals, and politicians - was operating in Chhattisgarh, which was involved in illegal bribe collection by exerting control over government departments.