Anti-graft probe in Rajasthan over officer family's Ananta resort unit purchases
A probe approved on 30 October 2026 covers about 40 leaseback resort units bought by an IAS officer's family from one company.
Key points
- The state government approved an ACB probe on 30 October 2026 into IAS officer Shikhar Agrawal and his family over about 40 Ananta resort units in Udaipur and Alwar.
- Reported counts, prices and registration dates differ between sources; most reports say 40 units, while the ACB's preliminary findings describe 36 villas.
- The units were leased back to Goyal Fashions, with reported annual rent of ₹4 lakh per Bujhda cottage and ₹5 lakh per Ajabgarh villa.
- Both Agrawal and his IPS wife, Prashakha Mathur, have been placed on Awaiting Posting Orders; show-cause replies are due in about seven days from 30 October.
The Rajasthan Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) is investigating IAS officer Shikhar Agrawal and his family over the purchase of around 40 resort cottages and villas from a single company, Goyal Fashions Private Limited, which operates the Ananta resort brand in Udaipur and Alwar. The state government approved the probe on 30 October 2026 under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The allegations have not been proven, and no finding has been reported.
What the registrations show
The units are resort cottages at Bujhda in Udaipur and villas at Ajabgarh in Alwar. Reported counts differ. Most reports say 40 units, while one report says the ACB's preliminary findings identify 36 villas: 20 at Bujhda and 16 at Ajabgarh. Combined values also vary, with one report giving about ₹5.52 crore and another ₹6.165 crore for the 40 units. Per-unit registration values reported are ₹15 lakh for each Bujhda unit and ₹16.5 lakh for each Ajabgarh villa.
After purchase, the units were leased back to Goyal Fashions. Reported lease rent is ₹4 lakh a year for each Bujhda cottage and ₹5 lakh a year for each Ajabgarh villa, with total annual rent reported at ₹1.80 crore. The sale and lease documents were registered on the same day at the respective sub-registrar offices. Registration dates also differ between reports. One gives 29 September 2023 for the Bujhda cottages, while another dates them to March 2026. The Ajabgarh registrations are dated 27 March 2026, the same day the ACB says the Finance Department issued a concessional financial package to the company.
What the ACB alleges
The ACB alleges that Agrawal colluded with the company's directors to secure relaxations in construction norms, approvals without mandatory certificate checks, and a special concessional financial package. One report puts the value of that package at about ₹115 crore, a single-source figure. The bureau says the preliminary inquiry will examine misuse of official position and possible accumulation of assets disproportionate to known sources of income.
Of the 40 properties, 28 were registered in the names of Agrawal and his IPS wife, Prashakha Mathur, with 14 each. Reports say Agrawal's property return disclosed his 14 properties, but Mathur's return did not mention the 14 registered in her name. One report gives a market price of about ₹1.6 crore a villa, far above the registration values.
On 30 October, the Department of Personnel issued show-cause notices to both officers, asking why their online immovable property statements filed since 2021 did not reflect these transactions. The notices sought a clarification within seven days, which puts the reply date at about 6 November 2026.
Officers placed on APO
Agrawal, a 1993-batch IAS officer who held several senior posts including Additional Chief Secretary, Industries, has been placed on Awaiting Posting Orders. Reports differ on the date, with some saying 28 October and others the night of 29 October. The order, signed by Joint Secretary Dheeraj Kumar Singh, cites administrative reasons. On Saturday, 31 October 2026, the government placed Mathur, a 1995-batch IPS officer, on APO as well. Agrawal is reported to be abroad, and his questioning is expected on his return. No date has been reported.
Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot has demanded a CBI and ED investigation, and Congress leaders have questioned how an officer who recently headed the Chief Minister's Office could accumulate 40 luxury resort units.
For buyers of leaseback resort units, the case is a reminder to compare registered values with market prices and to read lease terms closely before committing. The Ananta Udaipur resort at Bujhda is reported to have 242 rooms. Maharana Pratap Airport at Dabok is about 30 to 40 minutes from the city centre via NH 76, though distance figures vary between listings, and there is no direct rail or metro link.
- Agrawal's questioning by the ACB after his return from abroad, date not reported.
- Whether the ACB extends the probe to Mathur. No formal inquiry against her has been announced.
- Whether a formal FIR is registered against Agrawal if the preliminary inquiry substantiates the allegations.
- The officers' replies to the show-cause notices, due around 6 November 2026.
Spotted an error? Tell our editors · Corrections policy