Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], October 12 (HBTV): In a raid that resembled a crime thriller, the Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta police on Thursday uncovered gold, cash, luxury cars, and even 17 tonnes of honey from multiple properties in Bhopal and Narmadapuram districts linked to a retired Public Works Department (PWD) engineer-in-chief accused of amassing wealth beyond known sources of income.
The searches were carried out under the supervision of Lokayukta Director General Yogesh Deshmukh, following complaints that G.P. Mehra had accumulated huge wealth through corrupt practices during his service tenure, PTI reported, citing Bhopal Lokayukta SP D. Rathore.
‘Acting on verified information, a case was registered against Mehra under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The raids were conducted after obtaining mandatory approval. As far as the honey is concerned, we are probing if he was in the business of selling it,’ Rathore said.
Simultaneous searches were conducted at multiple locations linked to Mehra. At his Manipuram Colony residence (House No. A-6), officials recovered INR 8.79 lakh in cash, gold and silver jewellery worth around INR 50 lakh, fixed deposits valued at INR 56 lakh, and other valuables estimated at nearly INR 60 lakh, along with several property documents.
At his Opal Regency flat (A Block, Flat No. 508, near Dana Pani), police seized INR 26 lakh in cash, 2.649 kg of gold worth approximately INR 3.05 crore, 5.523 kg of silver valued at around INR 5.93 lakh, and additional property-related documents.
At KT Industries, a factory located in Bhopal’s Govindpura Industrial Area, officials found equipment, raw materials, and finished goods, along with ownership papers. The PVC pipe manufacturing unit is reportedly jointly owned by Mehra’s son, Rohit, and associate Kailash Nayak.
Meanwhile, searches at a property in Saini village, Sohagpur tehsil, Narmadapuram district, revealed 17 tonnes of honey, six tractors, high-value agricultural machinery, 32 under-construction cottages, seven completed cottages, two fish farms, two cowsheds, two large ponds, and a temple. Land and property documents were also recovered.
Vehicles registered in the names of Mehra and his family members include a Ford Endeavour, Skoda Slavia, Kia Sonet, and Maruti Ciaz. Officials stated that documents related to fixed deposits, shares, and insurance policies are currently under examination as part of the ongoing investigation.
(Inputs from The Hindustan Times)