Follow us on Google News
The Special Police Establishment of the Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta has unearthed alleged disproportionate assets worth approximately ₹7.6 crore linked to Sanjeev Kumar Sharma, Assistant Director of the Satpura Tiger Reserve. Simultaneous raids were conducted on Saturday across three locations, including his official residence and office in Pachmarhi and his private residence in Chhindwara. During the searches, sleuths recovered ₹26.36 lakh in cash, around 2.528 kilograms of gold jewellery, silver items, vehicles, and records pointing to two hospitality properties. The investigating team also seized 28 documents related to land sale and purchase transactions. Multiple teams from the Bhopal unit of the Lokayukta Special Police Establishment carried out the coordinated operation after obtaining search warrants from a court. Initial assessments indicate that the officer possesses wealth significantly exceeding his known sources of income. According to the agency, the valuation of several properties and the scrutiny of seized records are still underway, meaning the final estimated value of the detected assets could rise further.
Cash, Precious Metals, and Hospitality Assets Uncovered
A major portion of the recovery during the Saturday operation comprised cash and precious metals. Officials seized ₹26.36 lakh in cash from the searched premises, alongside 2.528 kilograms of gold jewellery preliminarily valued at nearly ₹3.5 crore. The teams also found 1.656 kilograms of silver worth an estimated ₹2.94 lakh, with investigators now examining the ownership and source of funds used to acquire these valuables. In addition to bullion and currency, the Lokayukta teams uncovered details of two hospitality establishments allegedly linked to Sharma. These include the Ecotel Resort, valued at roughly ₹2 crore, and Serenity The Villa, estimated at around ₹1 crore, bringing their combined preliminary valuation to nearly ₹3 crore. Because the formal valuation of these establishments is not yet complete, the agency is working to determine their actual legal ownership and trace the capital invested in their construction and operations.
Disproportionate Assets Estimate Rises to 560 Percent
During the preliminary verification stage before the raids, Lokayukta investigators had estimated Sharma’s wealth to be around 228 percent above his known income. However, following the discoveries and document seizures made during the searches, the initial assessment has climbed to nearly ₹7.6 crore, which the agency estimates could be roughly 560 percent higher than his legitimate earnings. Officials noted that these figures remain provisional and could change once a detailed valuation of all properties and a complete reconciliation of his income and expenditure are finished. The investigation began after the Lokayukta received confidential information alleging that Sharma had amassed assets beyond his known sources of income, with suspicions that several properties were purchased in the names of his wife and other private individuals. After verifying the complaint, the agency registered a case and secured court permission for the searches.
Vehicles, Land Deals, and Legal Action
Investigators also identified several vehicles during the operation, including a Mahindra Scorpio, a Mahindra KUV, a Bullet motorcycle, and a scooter, with a combined estimated value of around ₹31.2 lakh. Household goods and other domestic assets found at the residences were valued at approximately ₹50 lakh, and officials are reviewing purchase and payment records for these items. The seizure of 28 land transaction documents is considered crucial to the probe, as they will help trace property deals, payment trails, ownership transfers, and whether assets were acquired directly in the officer’s name or through relatives and associates. Following initial verification, the Lokayukta Special Police Establishment registered a case under amended Sections 13(1)(b) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Conducted on the directives of the Lokayukta Director General and led by Deputy Superintendent of Police rank officers, the operation now moves into detailed financial verification to establish the final quantum of disproportionate assets.
