Bhopal, Nov 14 — In a shocking development and a crackdown on graft in the state, the Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta Special Police Establishment on Saturday conducted a raid at the residence of Satpura Tiger Reserve Deputy Director, Sanjeev Kumar Sharma, in Bhopal in connection with a disproportionate assets case.
A team of Lokayukta officials reached Sanjeev Kumar Sharma's residence in Professor Colony and began searching the premises.
Simultaneous searches were also being carried out at other locations linked to the forest department officer, sources said.
The action was taken following allegations that Sanjeev Kumar Sharma had accumulated assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
The Lokayukta team is examining documents related to properties, financial transactions and other investments to establish the extent of the alleged assets.
During the searches, officials are also checking relevant records and other material that could help investigators assess the officer's assets and compare them with Sanjeev Kumar's known sources of income.
The searches were underway at the time of filing this report and more details were awaited.
The agency has not yet disclosed the estimated value of the assets allegedly accumulated by Sanjeev Kumar Sharma or whether any cash, jewellery or property-related documents have been recovered during the operation.
The investigation is expected to establish the nature and value of the assets held by the officer and examine whether they are disproportionate to Sanjeev Kumar Sharma's legitimate sources of income.
The Lokayukta Special Police Establishment investigates corruption and cases involving public servants allegedly amassing wealth beyond their known sources of income.
Further details are awaited as the raids are still underway at the residence of the officer and at other places and Lokayukta officers are not open to giving out information at this stage of the search operation.