New Delhi: Around 52 kilograms of gold and Rs 11 crore in cash in an abandoned car in Madhya Pradesh’s capital Bhopal has been discovered. However, nobody knows who it belongs to.
Saurabh Sharma, an ex-constable in the Madhya Pradesh Transport Department, is at the centre of a multi-agency investigation involving the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Income Tax Department (IT), Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), and Lokayukta police, NDTV reported.
Saurabh Sharma’s downfall started with a December 2024 raid that uncovered assets worth nearly Rs 8 crore, that included cash, jewellery, and property papers. Soon after, a white Toyota Innova was discovered abandoned in the Mendori jungle near Bhopal, with 52 kg of gold and Rs 11 crore in cash.
Significant inconsistencies
Initially, the probe focused on a single officer, but the corruption investigation has now uncovered an wide web of illegal activities, involving senior government officials and real estate transactions across Madhya Pradesh.
Further complicating the situation, court documents revealed significant inconsistencies in the Lokayukta’s report on the seized assets. While initial claims suggested the recovery of Rs 7.98 crore in cash, a DSP-level officer later clarified that only Rs 55 lakh, along with jewellery and silver, had been confiscated.
These discrepancies have put a question mark on the anti-corruption body’s investigation. Questions over negligence or intentional misrepresentation have been raised. The ED has assumed control of crucial aspects of the investigation, citing possible breach under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Abandoned treasure unclaimed
Even though a number of agencies are probing the case, till now nobody has laid claim to the abandoned car and the treasure inside it. The car was registered in the name of Chetan Singh Gaur, a close associate of Sharma, but Gaur has denied any role. He contended that he had only lent the car to a driver who remains unidentified.
In the CCTV footage, the car can be seen near Sharma’s house on the night the raids were carried out. But, the Lokayukta failed to stop the vehicle, enabling the car to be left behind later. This has sparked suspicions that insiders may have alerted key suspects, providing them with a chance to relocate vital evidence.
Probe widens
The probe has now widened to cover areas outside Madhya Pradesh. Agencies are investigating possible connections to illegal gold smuggling. Sharma’s financial transactions suggest ties to Dubai, Switzerland, and Australia. Transactions worth Rs 100 crore have come to fore, involving transport officials from 52 districts.
Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh has called for a judicial investigation led by the Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Singh flayed the handling of the case and demanded exclusive control of the probe by the ED and IT Department.
Defending the administration, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said that his government has always fought a principled battle against corruption and is committed to fight corruption at every level.
Currently, Sharma and his associates, Gaur and Sharad Jaiswal, are in judicial custody. However, mystery continues to hover over the owner of the car and the abandoned treasure in it.
