Lokayukta Raids Indore Municipal Officer's Residence In Relation To Disproportionate Assets Case

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta on Friday conducted searches at the residence of Indore Municipal Corporation Assistant Revenue Officer Jitendra Pandey and a hostel allegedly constructed in his wife's name in connection with a disproportionate assets case in the district.

The searches were conducted by two Lokayukta teams at Pandey's residence in Anand Nagar Extension, Nawalakha-Chitawad, and at the hostel in Gadadhar Nagar, Chitawad.

Lokayukta DSP Anand Chauhan said the search operation was underway and some cash and jewellery had been found though the exact details would be ascertained as the investigation proceeds.

"We received information through sources that Jitendra Kumar Pandey, who is posted as an Assistant Revenue Officer in the Indore Municipal Corporation and has been in service for around 31 years, has acquired assets disproportionate to his legitimate income. Based on this information, the search operation has been conducted. The search is being conducted by two teams.

One team is at his residence in Anand Nagar and the other is at the hostel in Gadadhar Nagar. The operation is still underway," DSP Chauhan said.

On the assets recovered so far, the Lokayukta officer said, " Currently, the search is in its initial stage. We have found information regarding jewellery, cash, a plot and a hostel in the name of his wife. Since the search is still underway, the exact details will be available later. Based on the information received so far, it is approximately 216 per cent more than his income."

According to Lokayukta, a G+3 residence building constructed on a 40x50-foot plot in Anand Nagar Extension in the name of Pandey's wife, was found, with an estimated construction expenditure of around Rs 1.20 crore. Another G+2 building in Gadadhar Nagar, also in his wife's name, was found to be operating as a hostel. The estimated expenditure on its construction was around Rs 91.50 lakh.

The agency further found that around Rs 14 lakh was spent on purchasing four-wheelers and two-wheelers in the names of Pandey, his wife, son and daughter, besides other expenses.

It has been estimated that Pandey's total salary income during his service at around Rs 80 lakh, against which expenditure of approximately Rs 2.53 crore was found. The alleged disproportionate expenditure was estimated at Rs 1.73 crore, which is around 216.35 per cent of his known legitimate income.

Apart from this, searches for other properties, plots, bank accounts and lockers are underway, and details will be known after the completion of the operation.