Mumbai: Suspended IAS officer Pradeep Sharma, who took on Narendra Modi over the snoopgate scandal when he was Gujarat Chief Minister, was on Tuesday arrested in a corruption case, a day after Enforcement Directorate attached his properties for alleged money laundering.
“Sharma has been arrested by us today morning under the Prevention of Corruption Act. As per the complaint registered by us yesterday (Monday), Sharma allegedly received Rs 29 lakh from private firm Welspun. The amount was first deposited in the account of Sharma’s wife, and then transferred to his account,” ACB Director (in-charge) Ashish Bhatia said.
“This is a case of allegedly taking bribe for extending benefits to a company when he was Collector of Kutch,” Bhatia said.
Sharma has been booked under Prevention of Corruption Act sections 11 (public servant obtaining valuable gift from person concerned in proceedings or business transacted by such public servant), 13(1)(D) (to obtain valuable things by corrupt or illegal means) and 13(2) (criminal misconduct by public servant).
The case pertains to 2004, when Sharma was the Collector of Kutch. (PTI)