Administrative corridors in Rajasthan are reeling from a massive shakeup following the state government's decision to act against a high-profile bureaucrat couple over allegations of disproportionate asset accumulation and corrupt practices. Official clearance under Section 17-A of the Prevention of Corruption Act has been granted to initiate an inquiry against IAS officer Shikhar Agrawal. Promptly acting upon the state government's directive, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has initiated the paperwork to register a preliminary inquiry into the matter. Concurrently, his wife, senior IPS officer Prashakha Mathur, has been placed on APO (Awaiting Posting Orders), while authorities prepare to revoke a lavish incentive package previously sanctioned for a private commercial entity, Goyal Fashions.
Allegations of Official Misconduct and Undue Commercial Favours
At the heart of the controversy lie grave accusations that Shikhar Agrawal misused his administrative authority to confer improper commercial advantages upon Goyal Fashions Private Limited. Armed with statutory approval under Section 17-A, the Anti-Corruption Bureau is now charting out an extensive investigation into the entire trail of administrative decisions. Sleuths will scrutinize the primary complaint, supporting property deeds, inter-departmental files, and official approvals that facilitated these transactions. Investigators are also expected to summon and question the involved bureaucrats and private stakeholders. If the preliminary findings substantiate the allegations with credible documentary evidence, the probe will immediately transition into a formal First Information Report (FIR).
This decisive action gained traction after a crucial high-level deliberation between Chief Secretary V. Srinivas and Anti-Corruption Bureau Director General Govind Gupta. Following this meeting, the state government moved swiftly to sanction the probe, setting the regulatory machinery into motion.
The Acquisition of 40 Villas and Cottages Under Scrutiny
The core of the investigation revolves around approximately 40 immovable properties bought in the names of Shikhar Agrawal, his IPS wife Prashakha Mathur, and several close family members. In a span of around two and a half years, 20 villas and 20 cottages were allegedly purchased from the very same commercial firm. The declared transactional value of these properties stands at around 6.15 crore rupees.
The assets in question are situated within the Ananta Resort properties in Bujhda, Udaipur, and Ajabgarh, Alwar. Records reveal that 10 villas each were registered directly in the names of Shikhar Agrawal and Prashakha Mathur. Furthermore, at the Ajabgarh resort site, multiple villas were acquired in the names of Mathur, the couple's two sons, and her parents. Investigative agencies suspect that these upscale resort dwellings were purchased at rates significantly below prevailing fair market value, potentially serving as a mechanism to channel quid pro quo benefits.
Immediate Leaseback Arrangement Yielding 1.80 Crore Rupees Annually
Compounding the suspicious nature of the purchases is the post-acquisition operational structure. Rather than retaining the properties for personal occupancy, the buyers leased the villas and cottages right back to the original developing firm. This lease arrangement reportedly generated an assured rental stream of approximately 1.80 crore rupees each year for the officer's family.
The ACB is now closely examining whether this leaseback construct functioned as a conduit for disguised kickbacks. Investigators will audit the original purchase capital, examine the operational covenants of the lease agreements, and cross-verify these assets against the mandatory Annual Immovable Property Returns filed by both All India Services officers with the government. Coming on the heels of the probe sanction against Agrawal, the abrupt transfer of Prashakha Mathur to APO status highlights the severity with which state leadership views the unfolding scandal.
Revocation of Sweeping Concessions Granted to Goyal Fashions
Parallel to the criminal inquiry, the extraordinary state patronage extended to Goyal Fashions Private Limited has come under intense scrutiny. Records indicate that on 27 March 2026, the company was awarded an exceptional package of fiscal concessions for its resort venture situated in Ajabgarh, Alwar. This state support included a 75 percent subsidy on state taxes spanning a period of 10 years, alongside a total 100 percent waiver on electricity charges. The promotional package also waived stamp duties, exempted agricultural land conversion charges, and sanctioned government wage subsidies for resort personnel.
In a striking coincidence that forms the bedrock of the probe, exactly 20 villas were registered on the very same day the customized financial package was officially cleared: 27 March 2026. Viewing this alignment as strong evidence of a transactional quid pro quo, the state administration is now taking concrete steps to dismantle and cancel the entire incentive package granted to the private firm.
Next Steps in the Anti-Corruption Bureau Investigation
The current phase of the ACB probe will systematically map the nexus connecting property values, the annual 1.80 crore rupee lease earnings, and the fiscal sops handed out to Goyal Fashions. The inquiry is set to assess the conduct of IAS officer Shikhar Agrawal, IPS officer Prashakha Mathur, directors of the corporate firm, and bureaucratic personnel involved in clearing the files. As the preliminary fact-finding mission progresses, bureaucratic and public interest remains squarely fixed on whether formal criminal charges and asset attachments will follow.
