Indore: In a major anti-corruption operation, three teams of Lokayukta Police conducted simultaneous raids at the residence, gym, and departmental store linked to Laxmi Narayan Kandwal, Joint Director in the Women and Child Development Department, on Wednesday morning. The searches unearthed assets worth nearly Rs 9.76 crore, which are highly disproportionate to his known sources of income.
Massive Disproportionate Assets
Investigators found that Kandwal, who has been in government service since 1996, amassed assets 286.7% higher than his declared income of around Rs 2.8 crore. This led to the registration of a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Lokayukta SP Rajesh Sahay stated that a complaint alleging corruption and accumulation of disproportionate assets by the senior official was received. A preliminary verification found substance in the allegations, following which a case was registered. After obtaining a search warrant from a Special Court, Lokayukta teams launched coordinated searches at three locations from around 6 am.
Secret Operation
Officials said the operation was conducted with complete secrecy, and neither Kandwal nor his family members were aware of the impending action. The sudden arrival of a large number of Lokayukta personnel early in the morning drew attention in the neighborhood as searches got underway simultaneously at his residence and business establishments. Investigators revealed that several assets were found to have been acquired in the names of his wife, sons, daughter-in-law, and other relatives.
Key Properties Seized
Among the most significant assets detected was a commercial-cum-residential property named Anand Vihar, located in Scheme No. 103, Indore. The property comprises a G+3 structure spread over about 13,560 sq ft, with commercial establishments operating on the lower floors and the family residing on the top floor. The investment in the plot and construction has been estimated at about Rs 2.66 crore. Officials also found MS Gym Centre operating from a lavish two-storey building equipped with modern fitness machines, expensive equipment, and advanced facilities. Another Lokayukta team searched a departmental store linked to Kandwal, which was operating on a large scale dealing in a wide range of daily-use consumer products.
Extensive Asset Holdings
Searches at Kandwal’s residence and other premises led investigators to properties valued at approximately Rs 10.10 crore. The assets include a commercial plot in Indore and around 12 plots located in and around the Pithampur industrial region, an area that has witnessed rapid growth in land values over the years. According to Lokayukta officials, Kandwal has served in several districts during his career, including Jhabua, Ratlam, Neemuch, Rewa, Shahdol, Ujjain, Dewas, and Indore. Based on the assessment conducted so far, his known income from salary sources is estimated at around Rs 2.8 crore, including agricultural income valued at Rs 30 lakh, while the value of assets traced during the investigation stands at approximately Rs 9.76 crore.
The searches continued through the day, and officials said further scrutiny of documents, financial records, and the bank locker could reveal additional details regarding the extent of the assets and their sources.
