Bhopal, 21 December 2024: The Income Tax Department recovered 52 kg of gold worth an estimated ₹42 crore and ₹10 crore in cash from an abandoned car in a forested area near Mendori village, Bhopal, as part of an investigation into disproportionate assets linked to former RTO constable Saurabh Sharma, an official revealed on Friday. The operation has further implicated Sharma and his associate, Chandan Gaur, in a widening corruption probe.
The abandoned vehicle was found late Thursday night, approximately 15-20 km from Sharma’s Arera Colony residence, where a joint raid was conducted earlier in the day by the Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta’s Special Police Establishment (SPE) and the Income Tax Department.
Investigators have accused Sharma of amassing illegal wealth after joining the state government’s transport department on a compassionate appointment following his father’s death. Initially described as a “simple man,” officials noted a dramatic transformation in his lifestyle over his 12-year tenure, triggering suspicions of corruption.
“His assets grew disproportionately, and clashes with bureaucrats and allegations over a school built on government land eventually led him to take voluntary retirement,” ADG Lokayukta Jaideep Prasad said. Sharma reportedly shifted focus to real estate development after leaving government service.
The gold and cash seized during the investigation are suspected to be part of the illicit wealth accumulated through Sharma’s activities, officials said.
Authorities also recovered documents revealing investments in real estate, a hotel, and a school, with properties linked to Sharma spanning multiple districts in Madhya Pradesh.
Both Sharma and Gaur have been booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act, with investigations ongoing.
