The Enforcement Directorate’s Bhopal Zonal Office filed a charge sheet against Jagdish Prasad Sarwate, the former Deputy Director of Madhya Pradesh’s Tribal Welfare Department, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. This action took place before the Special PMLA Court in Jabalpur on March 18. Sarwate appeared before the court upon summons and received a copy of the charge sheet along with related documents.
The investigation by the ED was initiated based on an FIR filed in 2025 by Jabalpur’s Economic Offences Wing under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The allegations against Sarwate involve acquiring assets disproportionate to his known income sources during a specific period. It was discovered during the PMLA investigation that Sarwate had engaged in corrupt practices, generating proceeds of crime and subsequently laundering them by investing in various properties across different districts.
The Enforcement Directorate identified total proceeds of crime amounting to Rs 11.81 crore, closely mirroring the value of assets where the illicit funds were utilized. Consequently, immovable properties of equivalent value were provisionally attached in February 2026. The investigation revealed that Sarwate knowingly acquired concealed assets, using them as proceeds of crime and projecting them as legitimate, thereby violating money laundering laws.
The case is significant as it involves a former official from the Tribal Welfare Department, which is tasked with serving the state’s tribal population. Corruption within such departments not only depletes public resources but also obstructs development efforts for vulnerable communities. Further investigations into the matter are ongoing.
