Bhopal: The Economics Offences Wing (EOW) has stated that an assistant teacher at a government school in Madhya Pradesh’s Shivpuri district held assets worth Rs 8.36 crore, more than 20 times his total lifetime salary of Rs 38 lakh. The EOW said in a statement that acting on a tip-off about disproportionate assets, it raided Suresh Singh Bhadoriya’s house in Shivpuri’s Bhauti village Wednesday morning, while his family was still asleep.
The investigation revealed immovable assets worth Rs 7.70 crore, including a residential building with 11 shops valued at Rs 1.70 crore, another 10 shops estimated to be worth Rs 1 crore and 55 registered parcels estimated at Rs 5 crore.
Most of these properties are under Bhadoriya’s name. Bhadoriya, the only accused in the case so far, has been booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
The team also found Rs 4.71 lakh in cash and jewellery, including 371 grams of gold jewellery and silver jewellery worth 1.28 lakh.
Officials also seized a truck worth Rs 23 lakh, a Scorpio worth Rs 5 lakh, a bike worth Rs 50,000 as well as other items such as an LCD television, an air-conditioner and home furniture worth Rs 3.4 lakh. Apart from this, agricultural equipment worth around Rs 25 lakh—including a tractor, four trolleys and five threshers—was also found.
“Our team acted on a tip-off, and the manner in which he amassed such wealth is part of the investigation,” EOW director general Upendra Jain told ThePrint.
Disproportionate assets
Bhadoriya drew a total salary of Rs 38 lakh in the 18 years he was an assistant teacher at a government school but his assets outstripped his earnings by Rs 7.98 crore.
His disproportionate wealth, despite his position as an assistant teacher with limited avenues for corruption, is believed to stem from his activities as a loan shark operating under political patronage, said a local police official requesting anonymity.
According to local sources, Bhadoriya started as a ration distributor under the Public Distribution System (PDS) scheme in the early 2000s.
But he soon began purchasing disputed lands at throwaway rates owing to his political patronage, said a local official who did not want to be identified. Bhadoriya began lending money at high interest rates and when borrowers defaulted on loan repayments, he got their properties transferred under his and his family members’ names.
Bhadoriya, however, denied the allegations. “The land shown to be valued at Rs 1.70 crore was actually purchased by my father in 1962. He was into the liquor trade and after he died in 1973, I began looking after it,” he told ThePrint. Adding, “Over the years, I sold off some plots and invested in other properties. I have never indulged in giving loans on high interest. It is not possible today to snatch away someone’s land. I have purchased and invested in land from the money I got by selling off my father’s land.”
Bhadoriya alleged the EOW case was fabricated and he was being framed because of an ongoing dispute over a parcel of land with a local resident, Shivam Gupta, whom he accused of approaching the agency.
(Edited by Sugita Katyal)
Also Read: Gripping drama in MP as I-T dept finds cash, gold, crocodiles at BJP ex-MLA’s home. 2 ‘pets’ rescued