Rajasthan Issues Seven-Day Notices to IAS Shikhar Agrawal and IPS Prashakha Mathur; ACB Probes Alleged Irregularities in ₹6.16-Crore Property Deals
Jaipur: The Rajasthan government has issued seven-day show-cause notices to senior IAS officer Shikhar Agrawal and IPS officer Prashakha Mathur over alleged discrepancies in their immovable property declarations. The development comes amid an Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) preliminary inquiry into allegations surrounding the purchase of 40 luxury villas and cottages by members of their family.
The case involves questions over property transactions, alleged official favours extended to a private company and possible discrepancies between the officers’ mandatory asset disclosures and transactions subsequently brought to the government’s attention.
Chief Secretary V. Srinivas Reiterates Zero-Tolerance Policy on Corruption
Rajasthan Chief Secretary V. Srinivas, a 1989-batch IAS officer, has reiterated the state government’s commitment to a zero-tolerance approach towards corruption.He met ACB Director General Govind Gupta as the government approved the inquiry and subsequently underlined that all possible steps were being taken to investigate the allegations.
The ACB is examining claims of alleged collusion between a senior official and a private company, the grant of undue benefits and possible financial losses to the state exchequer.
Seven-Day Show-Cause Notices Over Property Disclosures
The Department of Personnel issued the notices on October 30, asking both officers to explain why their online immovable property statements submitted since 2021 did not reflect transactions that were subsequently brought to the government’s attention.
The notices refer to communications received by the state government under the All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1986, concerning immovable property transactions undertaken after 2021.
Both officers have been given seven days to submit their explanations. Rajasthan government sources have also indicated that Agrawal is required to provide a comprehensive clarification regarding details published in newspaper reports.
ACB Preliminary Inquiry Against IAS Shikhar Agrawal
The Rajasthan government has approved an investigation against Agrawal under Section 17-A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Following an initial assessment that indicated prima facie evidence of alleged collusion involving the IAS officer and Goyal Fashions Pvt. Ltd., the ACB registered a preliminary inquiry.
According to the bureau, Agrawal allegedly misused his official position and influence to extend undue benefits to the company. The alleged favours include relaxations in resort construction conditions, approvals granted without verification of mandatory certificates and a special concessional financial package.
The ACB is also examining whether these alleged arrangements caused financial losses to the state government and whether properties acquired in the names of the officer and his family members constitute assets disproportionate to their known sources of income.
An important distinction, however, concerns the status of the proceedings against the two officers. The publicly reported ACB preliminary inquiry is against Shikhar Agrawal. According to a report by The Times of India, the bureau clarified that no formal inquiry had been announced against Prashakha Mathur so far. She has, however, received a show-cause notice concerning her property declarations and has been placed on Awaiting Posting Orders (APO).
40 Luxury Villas and Cottages Worth ₹6.16 Crore Under Scrutiny
At the centre of the controversy are 40 luxury villas and cottages allegedly purchased at two Ananta resort properties in Rajasthan from Goyal Fashions Pvt. Ltd.
The reported transactions comprise:
* Udaipur: 20 cottages purchased at the Bujhda property in September 2023.
* Alwar: 20 villas acquired at Ajabgarh in March 2026.
The combined reported value of the transactions is approximately ₹6.16 crore. The properties were reportedly purchased by Agrawal, Mathur, their two sons and other family members. The ACB is examining whether the assets were acquired at prices substantially below their market value and whether the transactions were connected to alleged official concessions extended to the company.
Alleged Lease-Back Arrangements and Annual Rental Income of ₹1.80 Crore
Another significant aspect of the case concerns the reported lease-back arrangements involving the properties.
The villas and cottages were allegedly leased back to the same company from which they had been purchased, under agreements providing for annual rental payments.According to reports, the 20 cottages in Udaipur were leased at ₹4 lakh each per year, while the 20 villas in Alwar were reportedly leased at ₹5 lakh each per year.
Together, these arrangements involved reported annual rental income of approximately ₹1.80 crore. The ACB is examining the financial structure of the transactions, including the purchase prices, rental agreements and alleged concessions extended to Goyal Fashions Pvt. Ltd.
Who Are Shikhar Agrawal and Prashakha Mathur?
Shikhar Agrawal is a 1993-batch IAS officer of the Rajasthan cadre. Before being placed on APO on October 28, he held senior administrative responsibilities, including Additional Chief Secretary-level positions in Industries, MSME and State Enterprises. He has also served in the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor and as Officer on Special Duty for the Bhiwadi Integrated Development Authority.
Prashakha Mathur is a 1995-batch IPS officer of the Rajasthan cadre. Before being placed on APO on October 31, she was serving as Additional Director General of Police, handling Planning, Modernisation and Welfare. Both officers have been removed from their active postings pending further administrative action.
Ashok Gehlot Seeks CBI and ED Investigations
The controversy has also triggered a political response. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has demanded investigations by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into the allegations.
Questioning whether placing the officers on APO was an adequate administrative response, Gehlot called for central agencies to investigate the alleged property transactions and possible misuse of official position.
Seven Days to Explain Property Transactions
With show-cause notices issued to both officers and the ACB’s preliminary inquiry against Agrawal underway, the case has reached an important stage. The immediate requirement is for the two officers to respond to the Department of Personnel within seven days and explain the transactions and discrepancies highlighted in their property declarations.
Meanwhile, the ACB will continue examining the alleged collusion, the benefits reportedly extended to the private company and the possibility of financial loss to the state exchequer.
Chief Secretary V. Srinivas’s reiteration of the government’s zero-tolerance policy has reinforced the administration’s stated position on the matter. The officers’ responses and the findings of the ongoing inquiry will be crucial in determining the next course of action.
It is important to emphasise that the allegations remain under examination. The show-cause notices and preliminary inquiry do not, by themselves, establish wrongdoing by either officer.
