40 Villas, ₹1.8 Crore Annual Rent: Probe Launched Against Rajasthan Bureaucrat Couple

40 Villas, Rs 1.8 Crore Annual Rental Income: Rajasthan IAS-IPS Couple Under ACB Scanner

A high-profile corruption investigation in Rajasthan has brought an IAS-IPS couple under the spotlight after their family allegedly purchased 40 villas and cottages at two luxury Ananta resorts for Rs 6.16 crore and later rented them back to the seller. The lease agreements reportedly promised an annual rental income of Rs 1.8 crore.

The Rajasthan Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) is investigating whether former Additional Chief Secretary Shikhar Agrawal exploited his official position to help Goyal Fashions Private Limited, the company behind the Ananta resort brand, secure government concessions while his family benefited from property deals allegedly made below market prices.

Following the allegations, the Rajasthan government placed Agrawal under Awaiting Posting Orders (APO). His wife, senior IPS officer Prashakha Mathur, was also placed under APO on Saturday.

The state government has approved a detailed investigation into the matter, which involves alleged misuse of official authority, questionable property transactions and possible accumulation of assets disproportionate to known sources of income.

ACB examines alleged links between officer and resort company

The ACB, in a statement issued on October 30, said its preliminary inquiry had revealed prima facie evidence of alleged collusion between Agrawal and directors of Goyal Fashions.

According to the agency, the alleged arrangement may have resulted in undue advantages for the company and financial losses to the state government.

The inquiry covers decisions taken during Agrawal’s tenures as Udaipur district collector, chairman of the Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board and Additional Chief Secretary in the Industries Department.

The company allegedly benefited from relaxations in resort construction norms, approvals granted without adequate verification of mandatory certificates and special financial packages offered on favourable terms.

The state government has permitted the ACB to proceed with a detailed investigation under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The agency will examine the conduct of Agrawal, the company’s directors and other people connected with the transactions.

Family purchased 40 properties for Rs 6.16 crore
The property deals under investigation involve two Ananta resorts located in Rajasthan.

The first transaction took place in September 2023, when the family purchased 20 cottages at the Bujhda resort in Udaipur. In March 2026, another 20 villas were acquired at the company’s Ajabgarh resort in Alwar.

The total purchase consideration for all 40 properties was Rs 6.16 crore.

The ACB suspects that some of these properties may have been acquired at prices considerably lower than their actual market value.

According to the preliminary inquiry, Agrawal and Mathur each purchased 10 villas at the Udaipur resort for Rs 15 lakh per unit. At the Alwar property, eight villas were registered in their names for Rs 16.5 lakh each.

Their two sons reportedly purchased four villas each at approximately Rs 15 lakh per unit. Another four properties were registered in the names of Mathur’s parents at around Rs 16.5 lakh each.

The agency is now investigating the source of funds used for these acquisitions and whether the family’s overall assets are disproportionate to its known income.

Same company bought the properties and became their tenant
Another important aspect of the case is the arrangement under which the family leased all 40 properties back to Goyal Fashions.

The company that originally sold the cottages and villas subsequently entered into registered lease agreements with the family.

According to the reported terms, the Udaipur cottages were leased at Rs 4 lakh per unit annually, while the Alwar villas carried an annual rental rate of Rs 5 lakh each.

The rental calculations were as follows:

Udaipur resort: 20 cottages generating Rs 80 lakh annually.

Alwar resort: 20 villas generating Rs 1 crore annually.

Combined rental income: Rs 1.80 crore per year.
The ACB is examining the financial structure of these arrangements and the circumstances in which the properties were purchased and leased.

The timing of another transaction has also attracted attention. The special concessional financial package granted to Goyal Fashions was reportedly issued on March 27, 2026. The date coincided with the registration of 20 villas at the Alwar resort in Agrawal’s family’s name.

Investigators are looking into whether the two developments were connected.

Annual property declarations under investigation
The case has also raised questions about the property declarations submitted by the two officers.

Shikhar Agrawal’s annual property return, filed on January 7, 2026, reportedly listed 14 properties. Mathur’s return, submitted the following day, reportedly declared no property.

However, the 40 properties now under investigation were registered across the names of the couple, their two sons and Mathur’s parents.

According to the available details, Mathur handled the registrations on behalf of her sons through a power of attorney.

The ACB will examine whether the assets were appropriately disclosed and whether the declarations complied with applicable service rules.

What happens next?
The investigation will focus on the alleged exchange of official benefits, the resort company’s financial concessions, the valuation of the properties and the source of money used for their purchase.

The agency will also examine whether Agrawal’s decisions in different government positions provided an unfair advantage to Goyal Fashions.

Although the preliminary inquiry has identified grounds for further investigation, the allegations have not yet been established. The detailed probe will determine the extent of the alleged irregularities and whether criminal proceedings or other action are warranted against those involved.