The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached immovable properties worth ₹5.92 crore belonging to former Gujarat-cadre IAS officer Pradeep Sharma. The attachment was made under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with an ongoing investigation into alleged financial misconduct during his tenure as District Collector of Bhuj, Kutch.
According to a statement issued by the agency, the seized assets comprise plots of land located in Bhuj, a key town in Gujarat’s Kutch district. The ED’s action stems from a money-laundering probe initiated on the basis of an FIR filed by the Crime Investigation Department (CID), Border Zone, Bhuj, which accused Sharma, along with businessman Sanjay Shah and others, of cheating and criminal breach of trust involving government land.
Allegations of Abuse of Power and Illegal Land Allotments
The ED’s preliminary findings suggest that Pradeep Sharma, leveraging his influential position as District Collector, colluded with other revenue officials to fraudulently allot valuable government land to private individuals. Ignoring official government resolutions and due procedures, Sharma allegedly facilitated the illegal allotment of prime land to Sanjay Shah, causing substantial financial losses to the state exchequer.
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The illegally allotted land was later developed into residential plots by Shah, who reportedly generated considerable revenue from the sales. This unlawful transaction chain forms the core of the ED’s money-laundering case, wherein proceeds of crime were allegedly laundered through the real estate sector.
The agency emphasized that the attachments made on April 25 were provisional and subject to further adjudication. The assets attached represent the suspected value of laundered proceeds linked directly to the offense of illegal land allotment.
ED Tightens the Noose as Further Investigation Continues
The ED’s action marks a critical step in holding public officials accountable for alleged misappropriation of public resources. It also signals an aggressive stance against financial crimes rooted in abuse of official positions.
Sources familiar with the investigation said that officials are scrutinizing additional land transactions and financial records connected to Pradeep Sharma and his associates to ascertain the full extent of the alleged fraud. More attachments or actions under the PMLA could follow if further assets traceable to proceeds of crime are identified.
The ED reaffirmed that its investigation is ongoing, and further details would be shared as the probe progresses.
This case adds to the growing list of anti-corruption crackdowns where senior bureaucrats and private entities have been accused of colluding to misappropriate government assets for personal gain.