Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Even as the Income Tax department has issued a lookout notice, ex-RTO constable Saurabh Sharma remains untraceable. The department is now looking into the possibility that he may still be in the country and not in Dubai as speculated earlier. He is believed to be hiding somewhere in India along with his wife. It is highly likely that he never left the country.

Since December 16, his mobile phone has been switched off. I-T officials are working to connect the dots and reach a conclusion regarding the seizure of 52 kg of gold and Rs 11 crores in cash from an abandoned vehicle. The officials suspect that the seized gold and cash belong to Sharma. Efforts are underway to establish the trail of the gold brought into the city.

Meanwhile, Sharma’s properties are likely to be attached. Interestingly, he owns only a few properties, most of which are registered in the name of his company and his close aide, Chetan Singh Gaur. Officials have reportedly learned that Sharma’s brother-in-law, Vinay Haswani, may have played a key role in the movement of the vehicle carrying the large quantity of cash and gold. The officials are also tracing the car’s movement and believe that it might have taken to NLIU Road.  

The Lokayukta police have written to the I-T department seeking details of gold and cash seized from the car, however,  officials at the I-T department are not keen on sharing the same. Notably, Lokayukta police had conducted raids on the residential premises of Sharma. So far, I-T officials have recorded the statement of Sharma’s and close aide Chetan Singh Gaur. The department has also issued summons to Sharad Jaiswal, another aide of Sharma, but he has so far not turned up to give the statement.