Bhopal: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached assets worth Rs 92.07 crore belonging to former Madhya Pradesh Transport Department constable Saurabh Sharma in connection with its probe into a money laundering case, an official said on Wednesday.
These assets, both movable and immovable, allegedly represent proceeds of crime amassed by Saurabh Sharma.
The ED has claimed that these properties were acquired in Sharma’s name, or in the names of his relatives, associates, and entities controlled by them.
The investigation unfolded after a First Information Report (FIR) was filed by the Lokayukta Police Establishment, Bhopal, accusing Sharma of accumulating assets vastly disproportionate to his known sources of income.
It was revealed that cash and gold seized from an Innova vehicle belonging to one of his associates, Chetan Singh Gaur, were directly linked to Sharma.
Entities involved include Sharad Jaiswal and firms like Aviral Building Constructions Pvt Ltd, Aviral Enterprises Pvt Ltd, and U R Infrastructures Pvt Ltd.
The ED’s probe unveiled an intricate network where Sharma purchased numerous properties using funds allegedly laundered through unsecured loans from unidentified sources.
These funds were reportedly derived from criminal activities tied to scheduled offenses. Sharma, alongside associates Gaur and Jaiswal, was previously arrested and remains in judicial custody.
Earlier enforcement actions also led to the seizure of cash worth Rs 14.20 lakh, silver valued at Rs 9.17 lakh, and frozen bank accounts holding Rs 8.29 crore.
The cumulative value of assets attached or seized now stands at Rs 100.36 crore. As the investigation progresses, further developments are anticipated.
Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh Police have also lodged an FIR (first information report) against Saurabh Sharma and his mother for allegedly furnishing “false affidavit” that none of their family members were in government job at the time of his appointment and secured the government job on compensatory grounds as his father died on duty.
The complaint was filed on complaint of a senior officer of state transport department. Saurabh was appointed on October 29, 2016, and took voluntary retirement on June 9, 2023.
In another development the ED, Indore Sub-Zonal Office has provisionally attached immovable properties amounting to Rs 95 lakh (approx.) on 25/03/2025 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 in an investigation related to disproportionate assets case against Ashok Sharma, the then Deputy Director, Urban Administration Development Department, Indore and Ujjain.
The ED initiated investigation on the basis of FIR registered by the Special Police Establishment Lokayukta, Ujjain under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for alleged possession of assets disproportionate to his known sources of income to the tune of Rs. 1.64 crore, during the check period, from April 1, 1998 to January 17, 2010.
(IANS)
