Bhopal:
In a stunning expose that has shaken the foundations of Madhya Pradesh’s administrative landscape, former Regional Transport Office (RTO) constable Saurabh Sharma finds himself at the epicenter of a sprawling corruption scandal. The dramatic arrest of Sharma outside a Bhopal court, just as he was about to surrender, has added a layer of intrigue to a case that involves the seizure of 52 kilograms of gold and ₹11 crore in cash from an abandoned car.
This high-profile case has not only highlighted Sharma’s alleged misdeeds but also uncovered a complex web of corruption that implicates senior government officials and real estate dealings across the state. The investigation, spearheaded by multiple agencies including the Lokayukta Police, Enforcement Directorate (ED), Income Tax Department, and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), has revealed assets valued at over ₹95 crore, far exceeding Sharma’s legitimate income as a constable.
On January 28, 2025, Saurabh Sharma was arrested by the Lokayukta Police outside the court premises in Bhopal, a move that preempted his planned surrender. This dramatic turn of events followed the seizure of gold bars worth ₹52 crore from a car linked to his business partner, Chetan Singh Gaur, in December 2024. Sharma had submitted an application to surrender the previous day, but the Lokayukta Police acted swiftly to take him into custody.
The raids conducted by the Lokayukta, ED, and Income Tax Department at Sharma’s residence and office in Bhopal’s Arera Colony uncovered a staggering array of assets. These included ₹2.95 crore in cash, gold and silver jewelry worth about ₹50 lakh, and documents of various properties. Additionally, the Income Tax department seized 52 kg of gold and ₹11 crore in cash from a car registered to Chetan Singh Gaur, further complicating the probe.
Sharma’s wife, Divya Tiwari Sharma, and his mother, Uma Sharma, were questioned by the ED for four hours, as part of the ongoing investigation. Sharma himself had been absconding for 41 days before his arrest, during which he and his wife traveled to Uttarakhand, Jammu, and New Delhi after returning from Dubai on December 23, 2024.
The investigation has expanded to include possible links to illegal gold smuggling and financial dealings in Dubai, Switzerland, and Australia. Transactions worth ₹100 crore have been implicated, involving transport officials across 52 districts of Madhya Pradesh. This has led to calls for a judicial probe, with former Chief Minister Digvijay Singh demanding a high-level investigation led by the Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
In response to the criticism, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has defended the state government’s anti-corruption efforts, emphasizing their commitment to combating corruption at all levels. For now, Saurabh Sharma and his associates, Chetan Gaur and Sharad Jaiswal, remain in judicial custody as the investigation continues to unravel the complexities of this ‘golden enigma’.
