The Rajasthan government has taken administrative action against senior police official Prashakha Mathur, placing the 1995-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer on awaiting posting order (APO) on Saturday. The decision follows the commencement of an investigation by the state’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) against her husband, senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Shikhar Agrawal. Mr. Agrawal, who had been serving in high-level government positions, was similarly placed on APO earlier in the week as the probe into his conduct intensified.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau has launched a formal Preliminary Enquiry (PE) into allegations that Mr. Agrawal abused his official authority to secure significant personal gains. According to the ACB, the allegations involve the acquisition of 40 villas situated in luxury resorts across the Udaipur and Alwar districts. The inquiry suggests these properties were purchased at prices described by authorities as being substantially below the current market value.
ACB Director General Govind Gupta stated that the investigation seeks to determine whether the senior official leveraged his influence to grant illegal favors to a private firm operating these resorts. The alleged benefits provided to the company include the relaxation of construction conditions, the approval of permits without mandatory verification of certificates, and the provision of special, unauthorized concessional packages. The probe aims to establish if these actions resulted in substantial financial losses for the Rajasthan state government.
Documentation under scrutiny indicates that the 40 villas were registered under the names of Mr. Agrawal and Ms. Mathur, as well as their two sons and the parents-in-law of the IAS officer. Investigators are currently examining whether these acquisitions constitute assets that are disproportionate to the couple’s known and legal sources of income. The inquiry is also looking into potential conflicts of interest regarding Mr. Agrawal’s former roles.
Before the investigation, Mr. Agrawal held significant administrative power within the state government. He served as the Additional Chief Secretary for the Industries Department, while concurrently managing four different public sector corporations. Furthermore, he held the position of Additional Chief Secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office starting in February 2024, shortly after Bhajan Lal Sharma assumed the office of Chief Minister. Mr. Agrawal continued to hold this sensitive role until November 2025.
Ms. Mathur, prior to her removal, was performing duties as the Additional Director General responsible for Planning, Modernisation, and Welfare. Her sudden transition to APO status marks a significant development in the ongoing corruption case, which has already drawn sharp criticism from the political opposition in the state.
Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has publicly addressed the developments, labeling the situation the “biggest scandal” to emerge under the current Bharatiya Janata Party-led government. Mr. Gehlot has formally demanded that the case be handed over to central investigating agencies to ensure a transparent and thorough examination of the alleged corruption. As the Anti-Corruption Bureau continues its preliminary enquiry, the state government remains under pressure to account for the alleged misuse of power at the highest levels of the bureaucracy.
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