By Rootsalert News Desk – 18-Febraury-2026
Rajasthan seeks Look Out Circular for former PHED chief as ACB finds his home empty during ₹960 crore corruption probe.
It looks like trouble is mounting for Subodh Agarwal, a retired top bureaucrat in Rajasthan. The state government isn’t taking any chances with the former Additional Chief Secretary, having just asked New Delhi to issue a Look Out Circular (LOC) against him. In plain English? They want to make sure he doesn’t leave the country while they investigate a massive corruption scandal.
The Background This all ties back to the Jal Jeevan Mission scam—a controversy involving roughly ₹960 crore meant for bringing tap water to rural homes. The allegations are serious: investigators believe that under the previous government, tenders were handed out to companies that used fake completion certificates to prove they were qualified.
The Midnight Drama Things got dramatic earlier this week. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) showed up at Agarwal’s Jaipur residence for a raid at 4:00 AM on Tuesday, only to find the house empty.
It turns out they might have just missed him. CCTV footage reportedly caught him leaving his home around 9:00 PM the previous night. With him nowhere to be found, authorities are moving fast to block any potential exit from India.
Why Him? Agarwal, who retired just recently on December 31, 2025, was heading the Public Health and Engineering Department (PHED) when these alleged shady deals went down. The state government had already given the green light to prosecute him days before his retirement, signaling that they were serious about digging into his role in the scam.
The Bigger Picture He isn’t the only one feeling the heat. The ACB has already arrested nine other people, including senior officials and engineers, after conducting raids across multiple locations. While some have managed to get court orders protecting them from immediate coercive action, the pressure is definitely on.
For now, the message from the investigators is clear: they are following the money trail, and rank won’t protect anyone involved.
