Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The property of former RTO constable and his associates is reaching Rs 100 crore. The properties came to light after raids and searches of Lokayukta SPE Bhopal, Income Tax (I-T) department and Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The ED has found documents related to assets worth about Rs 33 crore after it conducted searches against RTO constable and his associates as part of money laundering probe linked to a disproportionate assets case, on December 27.
Around eight premises in state capital Bhopal, Gwalior and Jabalpur were raided by federal probe agency. In the case against Saurabh Sharma, his associate Chetan Singh Gaur and some others including Sharad Jaiswal and Rohit Tiwari. Lokayukta police have seized cash and jewellery worth Rs 7.98 crore. The Income Tax Department had seized gold bars of 52 kilograms worth Rs 42 crore and cash of Rs 11 crore from the vehicle of Chetan Singh Gaur.
Lokayukta sources informed that property papers seized during raid, bank account details including lockers are still to be counted in assets. It is presumed that property papers which are seized by Lokayukta may cross the mark of Rs 25 crore. Information about many houses situated in Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur and Gwalior are coming out. Counting of such property is still to be added with the total.
Overseas properties may come to the fore after his arrest. Axe may fall on transport officers The axe may fall on several officers of the Transport Department after the raids on the residential premises of a former constable of the Transport Department Saurabh Sharma and recovery of a huge quantity of gold, silver, cash and other properties disproportionate to his known sources of income.
According to sources, the government is taking feedback on this case. The officers who had links with Sharma may be removed from the important positions. There are complaints against some officers who are posted at check points. They may also be removed. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav closed the check posts in June, and installed check points so that the truck operators do not go out of control. Complaints of corruption were also received from these check points.
The members of the Truck Operators’ Association are also complaining about extortions. The government may act against the guilty officers. The Special Police Establishment (SPE) of Lokayukta and ED carried out raids on the residential premises of Sharma. The government is waiting for reports from these agencies. Sharma’s call records were also taken out. According to reports, Sharma used to give a fixed amount of money to transport officers every month. The sleuths of SEP and those of ED are inquiring whether government officers and politicians were involved in the scam. The officers whose names figure in the case are set to face the music in the coming days.
Saurabh Sharma may get killed: Patwari
The former RTO constable Saurabh Sharma may get killed. The state government should arrest him but also provide him security, said Congress state president Jitu Patwari while talking to media persons here on Monday. Three agencies are conducting investigation and none of them knows where Saurabh is, he added. Patwari asked the government to arrest the accused and bring out the names involved in corruption. “The government of the state is running on crime, corruption and commission. This was proved after Lokayukta police opened the case of Saurabh”, he claimed.
