BHOPAL: Raids by anti-corruption sleuths at residential premises of a woman village sarpanch in Madhya Pradesh have led to the disclosure of unaccounted assets worth over Rs 19.50 crores.
The day-long raids conducted by teams of the Lokayukta Special Police Establishment at the residential premises of Sudha Singh -- the sarpanch of Baijnathpur village in Rewa district -- on Tuesday revealed unaccounted wealth/assets valued at Rs 19.50 crores.
The massive wealth included 75 agricultural-residential plots worth around Rs 8 crore, which was owned either in the sarpanch's name or registered in the name of husband and children, the SP-Lokayukta Rewa Unit Rajendra Verma told The New Indian Express on Wednesday.
The undeclared assets are at least 15 times more than the total declared income worth Rs 1.25 crore of the woman sarpanch, who was elected to the post in 2015, the SP Lokayukta added.
Besides, documents pertaining to 75 plots (some of which are possibly Benami properties), Rs 12 lakh in various bank accounts, jewellery worth Rs 20 lakh, and Rs 3.5 lakh cash too have been detected/seized.
Two houses, including a palatial house built on around one-acre land which houses a sprawling garden and snazzy swimming pool, are valued at Rs 3.5 crores, while 30 big and heavy vehicles, including JCB machines, dumpers, tankers, and SUVs too have been seized.
Two stone crushers, mixer, and brick machine too have been seized.
According to the SP Lokayukta, a case has already been registered against the woman sarpanch under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 against the woman sarpanch. The woman sarpanch's husband is engaged in stone mining-related activities in Baijnathpur village, where large-scale stone mining and crushing is reported.
The two stone crushing equipment seized by the anti-corruption sleuths are used in those operations only.