Group D civic staffer has Rs 4-crore assets; Rs 22 lakh seized

The Lokayukta police today seized Rs 22 lakh in cash besides gold and silver after raiding premises linked to a Group D employee of the civic body here in Madhya Pradesh who has been allegedly found in possession of assets worth over Rs 4 crore, officials said.

The assets owned by the employee, Aslam Khan, are disproportionate to his known sources of income, they said.

Acting on complaints, sleuths conducted raids at five properties linked to Khan here and found proof, including documents, that he owned assets worth over Rs 4 crore, said Lokayukta Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Pravin Singh Baghel.

Khan works as a "beldaar" (a labourer), a Group D post, in the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) and is attached with its anti-encroachment squad, he said.

Khan was recruited in 1998 at a salary of Rs 500 per month. At present, he is drawing Rs 18,000 per month, said Lokayukta SP Dilip Soni.

"We have seized Rs 22 lakh in cash and a huge amount of gold and silver jewellery from his possession. Besides, we have come to know about his 20 immovable properties, including plots and houses in Indore, Ratlam and Dewas. He also owns two luxury four-wheelers," the SP said.

"Eleven gold biscuits of 100 gm each and 10 bank accounts in the name of his family members were also found. It is suspected that these bank accounts have huge deposits and process to freeze them is on," Soni added.

The value of disproportionate assets may go up after detailed investigations, Baghel added.