'Crorepati' ex-RTO constable arrested by Lokayukta police in Bhopal

BHOPAL: Gold-and-crores-seizure accused Saurav Sharma, a former Madhya Pradesh transport department constable, was arrested by Lokayukta police outside Bhopal court when he was about to surrender on Tuesday, said officials.
Sharma, who is being investigated by multiple agencies in a Prevention of Corruption case, had filed a surrender application with the special Lokayukta court on Monday, and was nabbed while trying to make his way there around 11am on Tuesday. SP Lokayukta Durgesh Rathore said, "Two accused were arrested and produced before the court. Another associate of Saurabh Sharma is being questioned."
Sharma, along with alleged accomplice Chetan Gaur, were produced in court, which remanded them in Lokayukta custody till Feb 4. The third suspect being questioned is Sharad Jaiswal.
Gaur is accused of driving a car, laden with 54 kg gold biscuits and nearly Rs 10 crore in cash to a location on the outskirts of Bhopal on Dec 19, 2024, where it was found by I-T officials that night.
The Lokayukta was still searching Sharma's premises at the time.
Cong questions timing of Saurav's arrest and CM's trip to Tokyo
Sharma was in Dubai then and is said to have arrived in MP on Dec 23. By then, the Bureau of Immigration had issued a lookout notice for Sharma, following a request by the Bhopal I-T deputy commissioner.
According to an agency report, Sharma's lawyer Rakesh Parashar opposed the remand and demanded regular health checks. He claimed Sharma had surrendered before additional district and sessions judge on Monday.
State Congress on Tuesday questioned the timing of the arrest of transport scam accused Saurav Sharma.
"Chief minister is out of Madhya Pradesh! Saurabh Sharma is behind bars! Is this because serious questions related to the 'business of corruption' and 'transportation of corruption' can be avoided? BJP govt will have to answer for this 'economic crime committed under its protection," PCC chief Jitu Patwari posted on X.
Patwari added, "The real arrest should be of that diary in which the 'black accounts' of many white collared people of BJP are recorded. Lokayukta, which has lost its face by delaying the arrests, also must give an account of the more than Rs 20,000 crores mentioned in the diaries."
PCC media advisor KK Mishra argued, "During the Vyapam mega scam, the then CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan flew abroad to attract foreign investment to MP. The moment he took the flight to leave the country, STF arrested the then education minister Laxmikant Sharma who was an accused in the case. Now once again, it is the same scenario."
Sharma is being investigated by Lokayukta, I-T and ED. Special Police Establishment formed a three-member team to probe his alleged illicit wealth. The I-T probe began after the seizure of 54kg gold biscuits and Rs 10 crore in cash from the abandoned MUV. Sharma was granted compassionate appointment as a constable in the transport department following his father's death in 2015, and voluntarily retired in June 2023. He was stationed at various check posts across the state, where investigators say he amassed wealth through corrupt practices.
(with agency inputs)