Rajasthan IPS officer placed on APO amid villa purchase probe

At the Ananta resort in Bujhda, Udaipur, Agarwal and Mathur allegedly purchased 10 villas each in March 2026 at ₹15 lakh apiece.

The Rajasthan government on Saturday placed IPS officer Prashakha Mathur, wife of senior IAS officer Shikhar Agarwal, on awaiting posting orders (APO) amid an Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) inquiry into alleged property purchases by the officer and his family at prices substantially below market rates.

The personnel department issued the order removing Mathur from the post of additional director general of police, planning, modernisation and welfare, which she had held since October 24, 2025. The action followed Agarwal’s removal from all his posts and placement on APO on October 29.

ACB to probe alleged benefits to Ananta resort company

On Friday, the state government approved a detailed ACB investigation into allegations that Agarwal, a 1993-batch Rajasthan-cadre IAS officer, misused his official position to extend undue benefits to Goyal Fashions Pvt Ltd, which operates hotels and resorts under the Ananta brand.

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According to official information released by ACB, the approval was granted under Section 17-A of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The allegations concern concessions extended to the company and properties allegedly acquired in Agarwal’s and his family members’ names at Ananta resorts in Udaipur and Alwar.

ACB director general Govind Gupta said the bureau examined a report published in the Jaipur edition of a Hindi daily on October 27, a factual report obtained from the industries department and information received through confidential sources before registering a preliminary inquiry.

The preliminary inquiry indicated alleged criminal collusion between Agarwal and the company’s directors, according to the release. The alleged benefits included relaxations in resort construction conditions, approvals without proper verification of mandatory certificates and a special concessional financial package.

IAS officer, family allegedly bought 36 villas at Ananta resorts

At the Ananta resort in Bujhda, Udaipur, Agarwal and Mathur allegedly purchased 10 villas each in March 2026 at ₹15 lakh apiece.

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At the Ajabgarh resort in Alwar, eight villas were allegedly purchased in the couple’s names at ₹16.5 lakh each. Another four were purchased in their two sons’ names at around ₹15 lakh each, while four were acquired in the names of Agarwal’s in-laws at approximately ₹16.5 lakh each, the bureau said.

ACB examines timing of villa registrations and financial package

The timing of the transactions is also under scrutiny. According to the ACB, the finance department issued a special concessional financial package to the company on March 27, 2026, the same day Agarwal allegedly registered the 20 Udaipur villas in his and his wife’s names.

The investigation will examine possible disproportionate assets, alleged misuse of authority and financial losses to the state. It will also scrutinise decisions taken during Agarwal’s tenures as Udaipur collector, Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board chairman and additional chief secretary in the industries and other departments.

HT contacted Shikhar Agrawal and his wife Prashakha Mathur for their responses but had not received a reply at the time of filing.