The Anti-Corruption Bureau is examining whether the alleged arrangement between IAS officer Shikhar Agrawal and Goyal Fashions Pvt Ltd extended beyond villa purchases at the company’s Ananta resorts in Udaipur and Alwar, with investigators seeking property records and official files linked to decisions that may have benefited the company.
The bureau is seeking registry records of villas purchased by Agrawal and his family members. Investigators are scrutinising sale deeds, registration details and related documents to establish the consideration paid and compare it with the prevailing market value at the time of purchase, according to the report.
The enquiry is also examining whether the alleged benefits were limited to the property transactions or involved other financial or non-financial arrangements between Agrawal and the company’s directors. The ACB is investigating whether the purchases formed part of a wider quid pro quo arrangement in which Goyal Fashions allegedly received favourable treatment in official decisions.
Goyal Fashions operates hotels and resorts under the Ananta brand. The ACB had earlier alleged that Agrawal misused his official position and colluded with the company’s directors to secure undue benefits for the company. The alleged benefits included relaxations in conditions governing resort construction, approvals issued without verification of mandatory certificates and a special concessional financial package.
The investigation is now examining whether those decisions were connected to benefits allegedly received by Agrawal and his family. This places property registration documents alongside administrative records at the centre of the enquiry, as investigators seek to compare the value and timing of the transactions with decisions taken during Agrawal’s postings.
The bureau is also scrutinising official files from his previous assignments, including his tenure as additional chief secretary, Industries, and as Udaipur district collector. The purpose is to identify decisions that may have favoured the company and to establish whether any such decisions were linked to the alleged property or other benefits.
The state government approved the registration of a preliminary enquiry under Section 17-A of the Prevention of Corruption Act on October 30. The provision requires prior approval for an enquiry or investigation into decisions or recommendations made by a public servant in the discharge of official functions.
Agrawal’s wife, IPS officer Prashakha Mathur, has also figured in the preliminary findings relating to the family’s villa purchases. The ACB has not announced a separate enquiry against her, according to the report.
The next steps will depend on the records obtained by the bureau, including villa registration documents, sale deeds, official approvals and files from Agrawal’s earlier postings. These records are expected to help investigators determine the extent of the alleged transactions and whether the property purchases were connected to official decisions involving Goyal Fashions.
