Sumeet Facilities Director Held in ₹450 Cr Scam
• ACB Nets Key Player in Jharkhand Liquor Fraud
• Manpower Agency Boss Held in Booze Scam
• Sprouts SIT Impact: Another Arrest in Liquor Scam
• Jharkhand Liquor Scam: 11 Arrests So Far
Unmesh Gujarathi
Sprouts News Exclusive
The Anti-Corruption Bureau has arrested Sumeet Facilities director Amit Prabhakar Salunke in the ₹450 crore Jharkhand liquor scam. Linked to blacklisted contracts and tender fraud, the Pune-based agency is under scrutiny. Sprouts SIT investigations reveal cross-state corruption involving excise officials, manpower suppliers, and liquor syndicates demanding central audit and CBI probe.
Pune-Based Manpower Sumeet Group Director Held in Jharkhand Liquor Scam
In a major breakthrough, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested Amit Prabhakar Salunke, director of Pune-based manpower supply agency Sumeet Facilities, in connection with the high-profile ₹450 crore Jharkhand liquor scam. The arrest was made following detailed interrogation based on information obtained from Chhattisgarh liquor trader Siddharth Singhania, who is also in custody.
This is the 11th arrest in the case, which has exposed a nexus of bureaucrats, liquor syndicates, and manpower contractors operating across multiple states. Sumeet Group allegedly played a key role in facilitating contracts and operations during the implementation of Jharkhand’s 2022 excise policy.
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Contents
Sumeet Facilities Director Held in ₹450 Cr Scam• ACB Nets Key Player in Jharkhand Liquor Fraud• Manpower Agency Boss Held in Booze Scam• Sprouts SIT Impact: Another Arrest in Liquor Scam• Jharkhand Liquor Scam: 11 Arrests So FarPune-Based Manpower Sumeet Group Director Held in Jharkhand Liquor ScamClick Here To Download the News AttachmentSumeet Facilities Linked to Liquor Lobby and Blacklisted AgenciesLegal Tangle and Supreme Court Petition Over ₹450 Cr ScamControversial History in Maharashtra’s 108 Ambulance TenderSprouts SIT Demands Central Audit and CBI ProbeAlso Read: SC Allows CBI to File 22 FIRs Against Banks and Builders Loan Scam.1. Jharkhand Liquor Policy Scam — ₹450 Crore Fraud2. Questionable Tender Conditions and Exclusionary Criteria3. Maharashtra 108 Ambulance Tender Irregularities4. Conflict of Interest in Tender Drafting5. Suspension of Part Supply, No Performance, Yet Payments ClearingWhy It Matters
Sumeet Facilities Linked to Liquor Lobby and Blacklisted Agencies
According to ACB officials, Siddharth Singhania was instrumental in bringing four manpower supply agencies from Chhattisgarh—including Sumeet Facilities—to work under Jharkhand’s Excise Department. These agencies functioned for about eight months before irregularities surfaced, leading to their removal and subsequent blacklisting.
Documents reviewed by the Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) reveal that Sumeet Facilities not only helped implement manpower support but may have acted as a front to divert funds meant for operational services. The company’s role is being scrutinized in awarding tenders, especially where suspiciously low service charges were quoted to undercut competition and secure contracts.
This modus operandi reportedly allowed the agency to pocket large sums through backend arrangements, a pattern observed in several tender scams across state-run departments.
Legal Tangle and Supreme Court Petition Over ₹450 Cr Scam
After initial revelations of embezzlement, Jharkhand’s Excise & Prohibition Department filed a petition in the Supreme Court, accusing these agencies of collectively siphoning off ₹450 crore. The matter is now under judicial consideration.
Sprouts SIT has found that most of the arrested individuals, including former Principal Secretary Vinay Kumar Choubey, Joint Commissioner Gajendra Singh, Finance GM Sudhir Kumar Das, Excise Commissioner Amit Prakash, and others were in direct contact with the manpower providers and liquor traders.
Among the private players arrested earlier were:
•Neeraj Kumar Singh of Marshan Placement Agency
•Vidhu Gupta of Prism Holography
•Atul Kumar Singh and Mukesh of Shri Om Sai Beverages
Each played a role in either routing funds or managing logistics that facilitated the alleged embezzlement.
Controversial History in Maharashtra’s 108 Ambulance Tender
Interestingly, Sumeet Facilities is no stranger to controversy. In Maharashtra, the agency had been awarded the contract to operate 108 emergency ambulances, a decision that had drawn severe criticism from opposition parties. Allegations had surfaced regarding non-transparent bidding and service delivery loopholes.
According to sources within Sprouts SIT, similar tender irregularities—especially quoting below-market service charges—were observed in the ambulance contract, echoing the Jharkhand modus operandi.
Sprouts SIT Demands Central Audit and CBI Probe
With multi-state operations and recurring allegations, the Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) urges a Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) audit of all tenders awarded to Sumeet Facilities in the past five years. The SIT also calls for a CBI-led probe into the interlinkages between manpower agencies, excise officials, and private liquor companies.
As more arrests are likely, this case could unravel a pan-India liquor and tender syndicate involving bureaucratic collusion and political shielding.
Also Read: SC Allows CBI to File 22 FIRs Against Banks and Builders Loan Scam.
Major Controversies Involving Sumeet Facilities & Amit Prabhakar Salunke
1. Jharkhand Liquor Policy Scam — ₹450 Crore Fraud
•Sumeet Facilities, under director Amit Prabhakar Salunke, stands accused by the Anti‑Corruption Bureau (ACB) of facilitating ₹450 crore embezzlement linked to Jharkhand’s 2022 excise policy. He has been arrested as the 11th suspect in the ongoing probe.
•Evidence suggests Salunke’s close ties to Chhattisgarh liquor businessman Siddharth Singhania, who allegedly used manpower agency contracts to funnel funds. The company and three others were blacklisted after investigations revealed financial irregularities
2. Questionable Tender Conditions and Exclusionary Criteria
•ACB investigation flagged that in the Jharkhand tender process, exceptionally high thresholds—including an EMD of ₹49.67 lakh, bank guarantee of ₹11.28 crore, turnover of ₹100 crore, and prior credentials worth ₹4 crore—were designed to exclude participation by local firms. Only agencies like Sumeet Group could qualify.
3. Maharashtra 108 Ambulance Tender Irregularities
•Sumeet Facilities was a consortium partner (with BVG India & SSG Transporte Sanitario) awarded the ₹1,600 crore MEMS (108 ambulance) contract in Maharashtra. A Public Interest Litigation accused the consortium of unfair access and undue influence in tender drafting.
•Allegations include no ambulance deliveries despite monthly payouts (~₹33 crore/month) and that tender terms appeared tailored for specific bidders, raising conflict-of-interest concerns since Sumeet Facilities had an MoU with the state prior to tender launch.
4. Conflict of Interest in Tender Drafting
•Minority petitions claimed Sumeet Facilities may have co-drafted the tender—despite being a bidder—leading to potential bias. Government and HC rulings denied evidence of this, but the suspicion remains due to the MoU and lack of wider bidder participation.
5. Suspension of Part Supply, No Performance, Yet Payments Clearing
•Reports show no delivery of ambulances months into contract, yet vendors were paid over ₹18 crore/month—raising questions about oversight, project execution, and public fund utilization
Why It Matters
These controversies reveal suspected misuse of public procurement processes in essential services and liquor operations, involving large-scale misappropriation and possible collusion between agencies, private firms, and officials. Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) continues to monitor developments, urging enhanced transparency and regulatory action.
