Rajasthan's senior IAS officer Shikhar Agrawal has been placed on Awaiting Posting Orders (APO) and removed from several key government positions following a report alleging significant property transactions involving his family. The state Department of Personnel issued the order citing "administrative reasons" late Wednesday night.
The action follows a report by Dainik Bhaskar which claimed that Agrawal, his IPS officer wife Prashakha Mathur, and other family members acquired 40 villas and cottages valued at Rs 6.16 crore over the past two and a half years. These properties were reportedly purchased from a single entity, Goyal Fashions Private Limited.
Details of the Alleged Property Transactions
According to the investigation, Agrawal, his wife, their two sons, and his parents-in-law purchased 20 villas in Ajabgarh, Alwar, and 20 cottages in Bujhda, Udaipur. The total cost for these 40 properties was stated to be Rs 6.165 crore. Intriguingly, all properties were subsequently leased back to the same company, Goyal Fashions Private Limited.
The lease arrangements reportedly generated substantial annual rental income: Rs 4 lakh per cottage in Udaipur and Rs 5 lakh per villa in Alwar. Combined, these leases could yield Rs 1.80 crore in annual rental income.
Missing Property Returns and Government Incentives
Further scrutiny revealed that details concerning the Alwar properties were allegedly absent from Agrawal's annual property returns. While Agrawal maintained that he had submitted complete information, he attributed any discrepancy to the department's failure to update its records.
The controversy deepened with questions raised about the timing of a government incentive package awarded to Goyal Fashions Private Limited. The Rajasthan Finance Department reportedly granted a customised package under the Rajasthan Investment Promotion Scheme (RIPS) to the company in March 2026, on the very day the Alwar villas were registered. This package allegedly included provisions for tax exemptions and employee salary subsidies, raising concerns about the propriety of the transactions and the company's eligibility for such government benefits.
Agrawal's Former Responsibilities
Prior to his removal, Shikhar Agrawal held several influential roles, including Additional Chief Secretary of the Industries and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Department. He also chaired the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Special Area Development Authority, the Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment Corporation (RIICO), and the Bureau of Investment Promotion, Rajasthan. All these responsibilities have now been relieved.