BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh’s anti-corruption agency, the Lokayukta Special Police Establishment (SPE), raided the homes and office of a senior Satpura Tiger Reserve (STR) official on Saturday, leading to the detection of assets worth Rs 7.6 crore, reportedly around 560% more than his income from known sources.
The official, Sanjeev Kumar Sharma, is assistant director at the STR in Pachmarhi, one of central India’s best-known wildlife and tourist destinations. Teams from the Lokayukta’s Bhopal division searched his official residence and office in Pachmarhi (Narmadapuram district) and his private home in Chhindwara district.
The searches led the anti-corruption agency’s sleuths to Rs 26.37 lakh in cash, gold worth around Rs 3.5 crore, silver worth Rs 2.94 lakh, two resorts -- Ecotel Resort (about Rs 2 crore) and Serenity The Villa (about Rs 1 crore), a Scorpio vehicle, a Mahindra KUV, a Bullet motorcycle and a scooter, worth about Rs 31.2 lakh, household goods worth around Rs 50 lakh, and 28 documents relating to the purchase and sale of land.
Officials said the two properties will be formally valued, and the total could rise as the investigation proceeds. The search was still under way at the time of filing this news report.
The action followed a confidential tip that Sharma had built up assets beyond his income, allegedly with the involvement of his wife and other private individuals. A preliminary verification by Deputy Superintendent of Police Virendra Singh found that his assets were likely about 228% above his income.
The Lokayukta then registered a case against Sharma under Sections 13(1)(b) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as amended in 2018. After obtaining a search warrant from the court, teams led by Virendra Singh and Ajay Mishra carried out the raids at dawn.
The 560% figure is the agency’s prima facie estimate. It is likely to be revised once the resorts are valued and the land documents and the roles of Sharma’s wife and other private individuals are examined.