Rajasthan halts customised package for firm linked to IAS officer Shikhar Agrawal
The state government suspended benefits for Messrs Goyal Fashions Private Limited following corruption allegations involving the senior officer.
The Rajasthan government has suspended a customised package for Messrs Goyal Fashions Private Limited, a company linked to senior IAS officer Shikhar Agrawal, according to The Indian Express. The state-level scrutiny committee for Industry and Commerce placed the hold on the package, which had been approved under the Rajasthan Investment Promotion Scheme.
The Chief Minister's Office (CMO) stated on Monday that the company will not receive any approved benefits or disbursements until the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) finishes its preliminary investigation. The CMO added that the government is committed to a zero-tolerance policy regarding corruption and aims to ensure transparency in investment promotion.
The ACB has alleged there is prima facie evidence of collusion between Agrawal and the firm. The bureau claims the officer used his position to provide undue advantages to the company, which runs 'Ananta' hotels and resorts, resulting in significant financial losses for the state.
According to the ACB, Agrawal facilitated special financial packages and relaxed construction conditions for the company. The bureau also stated that Agrawal and his family members purchased 40 villas at Ananta Resorts in Udaipur’s Bujhda and Alwar’s Ajabgarh.
The ACB reported that villas in Bujhda were bought for Rs 15 lakh each. In Ajabgarh, the officer, his wife, two sons, and parents-in-law purchased villas for approximately Rs 15 lakh to Rs 16.5 lakh.
Agrawal was placed on Awaiting Posting Order (APO) on October 28, and the government cleared an ACB probe against him on October 30. His wife, IPS officer Prashakha Mathur, was also placed on APO on October 31 for administrative reasons.