The Rajasthan Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has launched a formal investigation into allegations of corruption involving senior IAS officer Shikhar Agrawal and his wife, senior IPS officer Prashakha Mathur. The state government has granted approval for a probe under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act to examine claims that Agrawal misused his official positions to provide undue favours to Goyal Fashions Private Limited, the company behind the Ananta resort brand.
According to the ACB, the couple and their family members acquired 40 villas and cottages at two Ananta resorts for a total of Rs 6.16 crore over a two-and-a-half-year period. Following the acquisitions, the family entered into lease agreements with the same company, reportedly securing an annual rental income of Rs 1.8 crore. Investigators suspect that some of these properties were purchased at prices significantly below market value.
Preliminary findings released by the ACB on October 30 indicate that Agrawal allegedly colluded with the directors of Goyal Fashions to grant the firm special financial packages, construction concessions, and approvals without the necessary verification. These allegations pertain to Agrawal’s previous tenures as Udaipur district collector, chairman of the Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board, and Additional Chief Secretary in the Industries Department.
The property transactions involved 20 cottages in Bujhda, Udaipur, purchased in September 2023, and 20 villas in Ajabgarh, Alwar, acquired in March 2026. The ACB noted that the special financial package for the resort company was issued on March 27, 2026, the same day the Alwar villas were registered. The properties were registered in the names of Agrawal, Mathur, their two sons, and Mathur’s parents, with Mathur acting as power of attorney for her sons.
Scrutiny has also intensified regarding the officers' property disclosures. Reports indicate that Agrawal’s property return filed on January 7, 2026, listed 14 properties, while Mathur’s return filed the following day declared no property. In response to the ongoing investigation, the Rajasthan government has placed both officers under Awaiting Posting Orders (APO). The ACB is now conducting a comprehensive probe into the source of the funds used for these purchases and whether the officers have accumulated assets disproportionate to their known income.
