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Former IAS officer Pradeep Sharma has been sentenced to five years in jail for money laundering linked to illegal land allocations in Gujarat. How did the scam unfold, and what penalties were imposed by the court?
Former IAS officer Pradeep Sharma convicted in PMLA cases.
Ahmedabad: A special court in Ahmedabad convicted former IAS officer Pradeep Nirankarnath Sharma in two cases filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The former District Collector of Bhuj was found guilty of illegally allocating government land at undervalued rates during his tenure in Kutch, resulting in a financial loss of over Rs 1.20 crore to the Gujarat government while benefiting personally.
The Enforcement Directorate, acting on multiple police complaints filed in Gujarat between 2010 and 2014, had investigated Sharma for corruption, criminal conspiracy, and irregular land allotments. The court’s judgment marks a significant development in India’s ongoing crackdown on financial crimes by senior public officials.
Sharma, during his time as Kutch Collector, approved the allotment of government land to certain parties at rates significantly below market value. This action allowed him to gain personal financial benefits and caused a substantial loss to state revenue. The anti-money laundering probe revealed that the proceeds of these illegal transactions were being projected as legitimate, forming the basis of charges under the PMLA.
The court highlighted that offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act and anti-money laundering laws have distinct objectives. While corruption laws target abuse of public office, money laundering laws aim to trace and punish the conversion of illicit gains into apparently legal assets.
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The court sentenced Pradeep Sharma to five years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 50,000. In case of default on the fine, he will serve an additional three months of simple imprisonment. Furthermore, assets worth Rs 1.32 crore, previously attached by the ED during the investigation, were ordered to be confiscated by the court.
Sharma had requested the court to allow concurrent sentencing with his earlier conviction in a corruption case. However, the court rejected this plea, stressing that his senior position as an IAS officer made his crimes particularly grave and warranted separate punishment.
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Sharma had previously approached the Supreme Court challenging the maintainability of money laundering charges. The top court rejected his plea, reaffirming that money laundering is considered a continuing offence as long as illicit proceeds remain in possession or are projected as legitimate. This judgment underscores the judiciary’s firm stance on tackling financial crimes, especially those involving high-ranking officials.
The verdict serves as a reminder that senior officials are not above the law and that abuse of public office will be met with stringent action. It also highlights the critical role of the Enforcement Directorate in investigating and prosecuting cases of financial misconduct.
With assets confiscated and a prison sentence handed down, the case sets a precedent for handling combined charges under anti-corruption and money laundering statutes, sending a strong message to public servants and society at large about accountability and integrity in governance.
