Bhopal:
The ongoing investigation against a former Madhya Pradesh transport department constable, at the centre of corruption allegations, has unearthed inconsistencies in the Lokayukta’s probe.
Court documents show that a DSP-level Lokayukta officer mentioned the seizure included Rs 28.5 lakh in cash, jewellery worth over Rs 5 lakh, and silver valued at Rs 21 lakh – a total of Rs 55 lakh. However, this sharply contrasts with Lokayukta’s earlier claims of a Rs 7.98 crore haul, sparking questions about potential negligence or deliberate misrepresentation.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has launched its own investigation, conducting raids across Bhopal, Gwalior, and Jabalpur. The ED is focusing on potential money laundering under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). This multi-agency investigation has revealed lapses in the Lokayukta’s initial operation, including the omission of key locations from their raids.
Despite targeting Sharma’s main house and office in the E-7 Arera Colony in Bhopal, the Lokayukta’s team failed to raid his second house, located just 100 metres away. Additionally, the residence of his associate, Sharad Jaiswal, was left unsearched, despite Jaiswal’s implication in the case.
The second lapse was the failure to intercept an Innova car reportedly carrying 52 kilograms of gold and Rs 11 crore in cash. The vehicle, later abandoned in the Mendori jungle, was captured on CCTV passing near Sharma’s residence during the raids. While the car’s registered owner, Chetan Singh, claims to have hired a driver, the identity of the driver remains undisclosed.
Another vehicle parked near Sharma’s office was left unchecked during the raid. Subsequent investigations by the ED revealed documents in this vehicle that could have provided critical leads.
The investigation has revealed Sharma’s transition from a transport department constable to a real estate magnate. Appointed on compassionate grounds in 2015 after his father’s death, Sharma took voluntary retirement in 2023 and began leveraging illicitly acquired funds to invest in real estate, including schools and hotels registered under the names of family members and associates.
According to sources, documents uncovered during income tax raids suggest Sharma was part of a sprawling corruption network within the transport department. Transactions worth Rs 100 crore have been linked to officials across 52 districts. These findings point to systemic corruption involving senior transport officials.
Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh has demanded a judicial probe supervised by the Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr Singh criticised the handling of the case and called for exclusive ED and IT department control over the investigation.
Responding to the allegations, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav defended his administration’s anti-corruption efforts, stating, “Our government has always fought a principled battle against corruption. We had even shut down check barriers. We are committed to combating corruption at every level.”
