Rajasthan government authorises ACB probe into IAS officer and IPS wife
The investigation targets allegations that senior IAS officer Shikhar Agrawal favoured a private company and purchased resort villas at below-market prices.
The Rajasthan government has authorised an Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) probe into allegations against senior IAS officer Shikhar Agrawal. Agrawal, who served as Additional Chief Secretary of the Industries Department, is accused of using his official position to favour a private hospitality company. His wife, senior IPS officer Prashakha Mathur, is also being probed by the ACB.
The inquiry will examine Agrawal's alleged dealings with directors of Goyal Fashions Private Limited, which operates hotels under the Ananta brand. Allegations include granting concessions, relaxing resort construction rules, and issuing approvals without checking mandatory certificates. ACB Director General Govind Gupta said the state government granted prior approval under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, to proceed against Agrawal and others.
Investigators are looking into villa purchases registered to Agrawal and his relatives at two Ananta resorts in Bujhda, Udaipur, and Ajabgarh, Alwar. The ACB has identified 36 villas across these resorts with a reported combined value of around Rs 5.52 crore.
At the Bujhda property, 20 villas were allegedly bought in March 2026, with 10 registered to Agrawal and 10 to Mathur at approximately Rs 15 lakh each. In Ajabgarh, 16 villas were reportedly purchased, including eight in the names of Agrawal and Mathur, four in the names of their sons, and four in the names of Mathur's parents.
The probe will also scrutinise Agrawal's conduct during his previous postings as District Collector of Udaipur, chairman of the Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board, and Additional Chief Secretary of the Industries Department.