Missing 'Crorepati' Constable, His Diary Ignite Political Storm In Bhopal, Congress Alleges BJP Role
The case was raised by Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Jitu Patwari last week linking the cash haul to alleged corruption under the BJP government led by Mohan Yadav.
The ongoing probe against a former Madhya Pradesh transport department constable, at the centre of corruption allegations has now taken a political turn. The individual, Saurabh Sharma, has gone missing after raids on his properties that uncovered assets valued at Rs 500 crore.
According to a report by India Today, the Lokayukta's discovery of Sharma's diary during the raid has sparked controversy, with the Congress accusing the BJP-led state government of corruption. This development came after the seizure of Rs 11 crore cash and 52 kg of gold from an abandoned vehicle last month.
The case was raised by Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Jitu Patwari last week linking the cash haul to alleged corruption under the BJP government led by Mohan Yadav. At a press conference, Patwari claimed that the Lokayukta recovered a diary from Sharma's premises, detailing extensive corruption in the transport department. However, he stated that only six pages of the 66-page diary were available, with the rest missing.
Patwari claimed that the six pages documented Rs 1,300 crore extorted from state check posts. "The Lokayukta police, the Income Tax and Enforcement Directorate carried out raids, but the probe seems to be stalled and nobody is taking responsibility for these six pages," Patwari stated.
Expressing concern for Sharma, Patwari claimed that he faced a threat to his life and that he must be given security as his life is under threat. He also alleged that the diary contained the code words 'TC' and 'TM,' speculating whether these referred to the transport commissioner and transport minister.
BJP Media In-Charge Lashes Out At Congress
Deflecting the corruption allegations, BJP media in-charge Ashish Agarwal urged Patwari to recall the 15-month Congress government under Kamal Nath, which he claimed was riddled with corruption. Agarwal also suggested that Patwari was concerned about the Congress being linked to the case.
"Jitu Patwari gives statements every day just to grab headlines. At the Centre, it is our government, and we are also in power in the state. Under whose leadership is this action being taken? Is Jitu Patwari the one getting it done? Our government follows a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption and no person involved in any kind of crime will be spared. Patwari is agitated because there is a fear that somehow the links might reach Congress," Agarwal said.
Saurabh Sharma, a Gwalior resident, joined the transport department as a constable in 2015 on compassionate grounds after his father's death. On December 19, Lokayukta police conducted raids at properties in Bhopal allegedly connected to Sharma, seizing Rs 2.1 crore in cash along with gold and silver. That same day, an abandoned Innova car with a 'Regional Transport Officer' (RTO) plate was discovered in a forest near Bhopal. The vehicle was registered to Chetan Singh Gaud, reportedly an associate of Sharma.