A sessions court on Monday sentenced former IAS officer Pradeep Sharma to five years in jail and imposed a fine of ₹75,000 in connection with a corruption case from 2004. The case pertains to Sharma’s tenure as the collector of Kutch district in Gujarat.
The court of Principal District and Sessions Judge KM Sojitra convicted Sharma under the Prevention of Corruption Act, citing sections 13(2) (criminal misconduct by a public servant) and 11 (public servants obtaining an undue advantage without consideration).
Public Prosecutor Kalpesh Goswami stated that Sharma received a five-year jail term and a ₹50,000 fine under section 13(2), as well as a three-year term with a ₹25,000 fine under section 11. Both sentences will run concurrently.
Details of the Case
The case was initiated by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and relates to the allotment of land to the Welspun Group at a price significantly lower than the prevailing market rate. The alleged undervaluation caused a ₹1.2 crore loss to the government exchequer.
In return, the Welspun Group reportedly made Sharma’s wife a 30% partner in its subsidiary, Value Packaging, extending her benefits worth ₹29.5 lakh. Sharma was arrested by the ACB on September 30, 2014, for allegedly accepting a ₹29 lakh bribe linked to this deal.
Ongoing Legal Battles
Pradeep Sharma is currently lodged in Bhuj jail, facing multiple corruption cases. This verdict comes after a joint trial in three cases related to land allotment to the Welspun Group.
Previous Controversies
Sharma has had a contentious history with the Gujarat government, particularly during Narendra Modi’s tenure as Chief Minister. He previously sought a CBI probe into alleged surveillance of a woman architect, involving purported telephonic conversations between then Minister of State for Home Amit Shah and senior police officials.
This conviction marks a significant development in the long-standing corruption cases against the former IAS officer.
