Amidst the political turmoil during the election year in the state, a staggering incident has unfolded in a government department where a cash and gold discovery worth millions of rupees has caused a sensation. In the basement office of the IT department at Yojana Bhavan, more than ₹2 crore in cash and 1 kilogram of gold were found in a safe. Following thorough scrutiny and consultation with the Director-General of Police (DGP) and the Law and Order Commissioner, as well as the Police Commissioner of Jaipur, a press conference was finally held by the Chief Secretary (CS) at 11:00 PM, unveiling the details of the case.
Considering the seriousness of the matter, the Chief Secretary Usha Sharma, along with the DGP, Law and Order Commissioner, and other senior police officials, convened a late-night press conference at the secretariat to provide information. The police have detained over 8 individuals associated with various departments in relation to the entire incident. Police Commissioner Anand Srivastava disclosed that the ongoing process of digitizing files in the Information Technology department necessitated the removal of all old files from the safe. During this process, two safes in the basement of Yojana Bhavan were opened. While one safe contained files, the other revealed two bags. Inside one of the bags, more than ₹2.31 crore in cash, comprising ₹2,500 and ₹500 notes, was discovered. Additionally, the other bag held over 1 kilogram of gold. The police have taken custody of more than 8 individuals, including department officials and caretakers, for questioning.
The finding of cash and gold in the government department’s safe raises grave concerns about the origin of such a substantial amount and gold and is currently under investigation. Preliminary investigations suggest that the bags found had been stored there for several days, although the full circumstances will become clearer only after the investigation concludes. CCTV footage is also being reviewed to determine the timing and manner in which this sum of money was brought to the location.
This entire incident has not only sent shockwaves through the police and bureaucracy but has also ignited a political storm, with the potential for heightened political rhetoric. Nevertheless, government officials promptly provided comprehensive details of the incident, even reopening the office late at night, to ensure transparency.
