Rajasthan ACB seeks records in inquiry into IAS-IPS couple over 40 resort villas

Rajasthan’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has asked several government departments for records as it examines allegations against IAS officer Shikhar Agrawal and his wife, IPS officer Prashakha Mathur, over about 40 villas bought from a private resort company.

The bureau has written to the Industries and Public Works departments and to the collectorates of Udaipur and Alwar districts for records of financial transactions and decisions involving the two officers, ThePrint reported on 3 November. An ACB official told the publication that a preliminary enquiry had begun and that documents were being collected before any further step. None of the allegations has been tested in court.

The allegations

The villas, in Udaipur and Alwar, were bought from Goyal Fashions, which runs the Ananta resorts, in the names of the couple, their children and their parents, for a combined ₹6.15 crore paid in two instalments, in September 2023 and March 2026, according to the report. The couple then reportedly leased them back to the company. Reports differ on the details: one puts the number at 36 villas worth about ₹5.5 crore.

According to ThePrint, Mr. Agrawal’s property return lists 10 villas in his name, bought for ₹10 lakh, while Ms. Mathur’s returns show no such property. The ACB suspects that Mr. Agrawal used his earlier posts to secure permissions for the resort’s owners, reports say. Some reports spell his surname Agarwal.

Action so far

On 30 October, the State government gave the ACB the approval it needs under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act to look into a public servant’s official decisions, according to reports. Mr. Agrawal, an Additional Chief Secretary, was put on awaiting posting orders on 28 October, and Ms. Mathur, an Additional Director General of Police, on 31 October. Both have since been served show-cause notices over discrepancies in their property declarations. Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has demanded an investigation by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate.

ThePrint said it had contacted both officers for comment; their responses were not reported.