ED raids in case against former Madhya Pradesh transport department official

Bhopal: The ED on Friday conducted searches in Madhya Pradesh as part of a money-laundering probe against a former transport department official who was recently searched by the Lokayukta police on allegations of possession of disproportionate assets, official sources said.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is also probing into a "linked" seizure of gold and cash worth about Rs 52 crore from an abandoned SUV.

Raids are being undertaken at five-six premises in state capital Bhopal, Gwalior and Jabalpur. The premises are linked to the family and associates of Saurabh Sharma -- the official under the scanner, the sources said.

The Lokayukta police last week recovered assets worth more than Rs 3 crore, including Rs 2.85 crore in cash, after it raided Sharma's premises in Bhopal.

Following this, on December 20, the Income-Tax Department seized 52 kilogrammes of gold bars worth Rs 40 crore and more than Rs 11 crore in cash from an abandoned SUV in Bhopal.

The vehicle was found registered in the name of one Chetan Singh Gaur, a "close associate" of Sharma, the sources said.

The sources said the two instances could be "linked and that an investigation is underway to ascertain the facts".

Sharma is stated to have availed of voluntary retirement from service about a year ago.