A special PMLA court on Tuesday ordered a two-day custodial interrogation of former IAS officer Pradeep Sharma (1984: Gujarat) by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering investigation. This case stems from a 2023 FIR filed by CID (Crime) in Bhuj, alleging that Sharma, while serving as the Kutch district collector, illegally allotted land to businessman Sanjay Shah.
During the investigation, Shah reportedly told the ED that he paid a bribe of Rs 3 lakh to Sharma, with Rs 2.50 lakh going to Sharma and Rs 50,000 to the then resident deputy collector, Ajitsinh Zala. The bribe was allegedly routed through Prakash Vazirani, who corroborated Shah’s statement.
Sharma, who is currently imprisoned for another offense, was earlier denied anticipatory bail by the PMLA court on Monday. Following this rejection, the ED sought his custodial remand. ED special prosecutors Sudhir Gupta and Sanjay Thakkar argued that the agency needed to confront Sharma with documents related to the investigation, as it suspects a larger sum of money is involved in the illegal land deal.
According to the ED’s investigation, Sharma’s actions led to an estimated financial loss of Rs 19 crore to the government. The illegal allotment of land was followed by Shah’s attempt to convert the land for non-agricultural use. The ED also mentioned that the bribe amount of Rs 3 lakh is part of a larger sum of illicit funds generated through criminal activities, requiring further investigation. The agency emphasized that Sharma’s knowledge of the utilisation and parking of the proceeds of crime makes his custodial interrogation crucial to the ongoing probe.
The case continues to unfold as the ED intensifies its investigation into the alleged corruption and money laundering activities.
