The Rajasthan Government has granted prior approval under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for an ACB probe against IAS officer Shikhar Agrawal, over allegations that he colluded with the directors of a private resort company and acquired villas in the names of family members. The allegations are untested.
Jaipur: The Rajasthan Government has granted prior approval to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to conduct a detailed investigation under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 into allegations that senior IAS officer Shikhar Agrawal abused his official position and entered into a criminal conspiracy with the directors of Goyal Fashions Private Limited to extend undue benefits to the firm, allegedly causing substantial financial loss to the State [Preliminary enquiry concerning IAS officer Shikhar Agrawal].
The approval was announced on October 30, 2026 in a press note issued by the ACB’s Public Relations Cell. ACB Director General of Police Govind Gupta said the Bureau had examined the matter along with a factual report received from the Department of Industries before seeking the go-ahead for a formal investigation.
Background
According to the ACB, the Bureau analysed a news item published on October 27, 2026 and the factual report from the Industries Department. On that material, together with information from confidential sources, it found it appropriate to register a preliminary enquiry, and the preliminary findings indicated the need for a formal investigation, said Gupta.
The ACB alleges that Agrawal misused his official position and influence while serving in several key capacities in Rajasthan, including District Collector of Udaipur, Chairman of the Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board and Additional Chief Secretary of the Industries Department and other departments.
The allegations
The allegations concern his purported links with the directors of Goyal Fashions Private Limited, which operates hotels and resorts under the brand name ‘Ananta’. The ACB alleges that the company received undue benefits, including relaxations in the terms and conditions for resort construction, approvals granted without verification of mandatory certificates, and special concessional financial packages.
Villas at the Ananta resorts
The preliminary enquiry has also raised questions over the purchase of villas at the Ananta resorts at Bujhda in Udaipur and Ajabgarh in Alwar district, in the names of Agrawal and his family members.
According to the ACB, 10 villas were purchased in the names of Agrawal and his wife at the Bujhda resort for Rs 15 lakh per villa, and eight villas were allegedly purchased in their names at the Ajabgarh resort for Rs 16.5 lakh each. Four more villas were purchased in the names of his two sons for approximately Rs 15 lakh each, and another four in the names of his parents-in-law for around Rs 16.5 lakh each. The ACB suspects that these properties were acquired at prices substantially below their market value.
The timing of the transactions
The Bureau has also highlighted the timing. According to information received from confidential sources, the registration of 20 villas in Agrawal’s name took place on March 27, 2026, and on the same day the Finance Department issued a special concessional financial package to Goyal Fashions Private Limited. The ACB said these circumstances warranted a detailed examination of the transactions, the alleged benefits extended to the company and the possible financial loss to the State.
What the investigation will examine
The probe will examine the role of Shikhar Agrawal, then Additional Chief Secretary of the Industries Department, the directors of Goyal Fashions Private Limited and other persons concerned. It will also look into allegations that he accumulated assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
The allegations are subject to investigation. No finding of guilt has been established at this stage, and the presumption of innocence continues to apply to Agrawal, the directors of the company and everyone else named.
Why the approval matters
Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act requires the previous approval of the competent authority before a police officer conducts any enquiry, inquiry or investigation into an offence alleged against a public servant, where the offence is relatable to a recommendation made or decision taken in the discharge of official functions. The State Government’s approval is therefore the step that allows the ACB to examine decisions taken during Agrawal’s tenure in the Industries Department.
The approval is a procedural gateway and not a finding on the allegations. Whether the material gathered supports any offence will be decided only after the investigation, and any resulting proceedings would be tested in court.
Subject: Prior approval under Section 17A, Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, for an ACB investigation concerning IAS officer Shikhar Agrawal
Authority: Rajasthan Government; Anti-Corruption Bureau, Rajasthan (Director General of Police Govind Gupta)
Date of announcement: October 30, 2026