In simultaneous raids conducted here at the official residences of Madhya Pradesh deputy inspector-general (prisons) Umesh Gandhi, his brother Ajay Gandhi, who is a jail guard, and at the residence of one of their brothers at Sagar, the special police establishment of the lokayukta on Saturday seized large amount of unaccounted cash, jewellery, fixed deposit certificates and documents relating to properties and assets worth over Rs 25 crores.
When contacted, lokayukta superintendent of police Siddharth Choudhary told this newspaper that according to preliminary assessment, the total investment in assets and property seized during the search operation comes to about `11 crores. The current market value of assets and property allegedly acquired by Mr Umesh Gandhi during his stint in the jail department will be much more, he added.
The lokayukta SP said that the search operation was conducted on Saturday at the official residence of the state DIG (prisons) and at residences of his two brothers — in Bhopal and Sagar — which happens to be their native place, after securing a judicial warrant. Before this, FIR was registered under Section 13(1)(e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. During preliminary investigation, following a tip-off, it was found that Mr Umesh Gandhi, a 1987-batch officer belonging to the jail service, had invested huge amount of money in acquiring properties at different places.