Rajasthan IPS officer Prashakha Mathur placed on APO in 40-villa purchase case
Synopsis
Within 48 hours, Rajasthan has placed both a senior IAS officer and his IPS officer wife on APO status over the alleged purchase of 40 villas from a single private company — with the Anti-Corruption Bureau now probing a suspicious same-day overlap between a state concessional package to Goyal Fashions and the registration of 20 villas in the officer's name.
Key Takeaways
Rajasthan government placed IPS officer Prashakha Mathur on APO status on 31 October in connection with the 40-villa purchase controversy .
Her husband, IAS officer Shikhar Agarwal , was removed from all posts and placed on APO on 29 October ; the ACB initiated a preliminary enquiry against him the following day.
The couple allegedly purchased 20 villas across Bujhda Resort, Udaipur and Ananta Resort, Ajabgarh, Alwar , reportedly at prices below market value.
A villa in Alwar is stated to be missing from Mathur's Immovable Property Return (IPR) .
The Finance Department reportedly issued a concessional package to Goyal Fashions Private Limited on the same day 20 villas were registered in Agarwal's name.
The ACB probe will cover financial transactions, property registrations, alleged undue benefits to the company, and possible disproportionate assets .
The Rajasthan government on Saturday, 31 October placed IPS officer Prashakha Mathur, wife of senior IAS officer Shikhar Agarwal, on APO (Awaiting Posting Orders) status amid a widening controversy over the alleged purchase of 40 villas from a single private company at prices reportedly below market value. The order was issued by the Department of Personnel, marking the second such action against the couple within 48 hours.
Key Developments in the Case
The action against Mathur follows a day after the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) initiated a preliminary enquiry (PE) against her husband, Shikhar Agarwal, over allegations of misuse of official position and extending undue benefits to a private firm. On the night of 29 October, the state government had already removed Agarwal from all his posts and placed him on APO status. His wife's removal now extends the administration's response to both members of the couple.
At the time of her removal, Prashakha Mathur was serving as Additional Director General (ADG), Planning, Modernisation and Welfare — a position she had assumed on 24 October 2025, just days before the controversy erupted.
The Villa Transactions Under Scrutiny
According to details emerging from the investigation, Shikhar Agarwal and Prashakha Mathur allegedly purchased 10 villas each at Bujhda Resort in Udaipur, reportedly at ₹15 lakh per villa. At Ananta Resort in Ajabgarh, Alwar, eight villas were allegedly acquired in the names of both Agarwal and Mathur at ₹16.5 lakh each.
An additional four villas were registered in the names of their two sons at approximately ₹15 lakh each, while another four were purchased in the names of Agarwal's parents-in-law at around ₹16.5 lakh each. The properties were allegedly acquired at prices substantially below prevailing market rates, according to official sources.
Notably, while certain properties were reportedly disclosed in Mathur's annual property returns, the villa purchased in Alwar is stated to be missing from her Immovable Property Return (IPR) — a potential compliance violation that is expected to draw separate scrutiny.
The Goyal Fashions Connection
Confidential sources indicate that the Finance Department issued a special concessional economic package to a private company, Goyal Fashions Private Limited, on 27 March. On the same day, registration of 20 villas in the name of Shikhar Agarwal was reportedly completed. According to preliminary findings, Agarwal allegedly conspired with directors of the private firm during his tenure, extending undue benefits to the company and causing substantial financial loss to the state government.
The ACB's preliminary enquiry has also flagged the need for a deeper investigation into allegations of assets disproportionate to known sources of income, covering properties allegedly registered in the names of Agarwal and multiple family members.
Who Is Prashakha Mathur
Prashakha Mathur is a 1995-batch IPS officer from Ajmer. She completed her MBBS before joining the civil services. Over her career, she served as Superintendent of Police (SP) in Jodhpur Rural, Banswara, and Pali, among other postings. She also served on central deputation with the Intelligence Bureau (IB), where she held the positions of Additional Deputy Director and Deputy Director between 2009 and 2014.
What Happens Next
The ACB is expected to question Mathur as part of its investigation into alleged conflicts of interest, misuse of official position, and property transactions, according to official sources. The bureau's probe will examine financial transactions, property registrations, alleged benefits extended to the company, and the roles of all individuals concerned. With both senior officers now sidelined and the preliminary enquiry under way, a full formal investigation — and possible further action — appears increasingly likely.
Point of View
Including sons and parents-in-law, suggests a deliberate dispersal strategy. The missing Alwar villa in Mathur's IPR adds a compliance dimension that goes beyond corruption allegations into potential service-rule violations. Rajasthan's swift APO orders signal political intent to act, but the real test is whether the preliminary enquiry converts into a full FIR and reaches the private company's directors — the other half of any alleged conspiracy.
NationPress
31 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was IPS officer Prashakha Mathur placed on APO status?
Prashakha Mathur was placed on APO (Awaiting Posting Orders) status by the Rajasthan government on 31 October in connection with the controversy over the alleged purchase of 40 villas from a single private company at prices reportedly below market value. Some of the villas were registered in her name, and a property in Alwar is stated to be missing from her Immovable Property Return.
What is the ACB investigating in the Shikhar Agarwal case?
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has initiated a preliminary enquiry against IAS officer Shikhar Agarwal over allegations of misuse of official position, extending undue benefits to a private company, and acquisition of assets disproportionate to known sources of income. The probe covers property registrations in the names of Agarwal, his wife, their two sons, and his parents-in-law.
How many villas were allegedly purchased and at what price?
A total of 40 villas were allegedly purchased across two resorts. Ten villas each were reportedly bought by Agarwal and Mathur at Bujhda Resort in Udaipur at ₹15 lakh per villa, and eight villas were allegedly acquired by the couple at Ananta Resort in Ajabgarh, Alwar, at ₹16.5 lakh each. Four more were registered in their sons' names and four in the names of Agarwal's parents-in-law.
What is the significance of Goyal Fashions Private Limited in this case?
Confidential sources indicate that the Finance Department issued a special concessional economic package to Goyal Fashions Private Limited on 27 March — the same day registration of 20 villas in Shikhar Agarwal's name was reportedly completed. The ACB is examining whether Agarwal extended undue benefits to the company during his tenure, causing financial loss to the state government.
Who is Prashakha Mathur and what was her role before being placed on APO?
Prashakha Mathur is a 1995-batch IPS officer from Ajmer who served as Additional Director General (ADG), Planning, Modernisation and Welfare — a post she had assumed on 24 October 2025. She previously served as SP in Jodhpur Rural, Banswara, and Pali, and was on central deputation with the Intelligence Bureau between 2009 and 2014.
