The Supreme Court, on Monday, dismissed the bail plea of retired IAS officer Pradeep Nirankarnath Sharma, who was facing allegations in connection with an illegal land allotment case from 2023. The case, registered in Bhuj, Kutch, accused Sharma of corruption and criminal breach of trust for allegedly allotting government land unlawfully for monetary gains during his tenure as the Collector of Kutch district.
Sharma’s petition for regular bail was lodged under Section 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. The FIR against him was filed at the CID Crime Border Zone Police Station under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including Sections 409 (Criminal breach of trust by a public servant), 217 (Public servant disobeying law to save a person from punishment), 120B (Criminal conspiracy), and 114 (Abettor present when the offense is committed). Additionally, he was charged under Section 7(c) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
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A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, while delivering the verdict, stated:
"We find no good reason to interfere with the order. The appeal is accordingly dismissed."
Gujarat High Court’s Earlier Verdict
Prior to the Supreme Court’s ruling, the Gujarat High Court had also rejected Sharma’s bail plea in March of the previous year. The High Court expressed its unwillingness to grant him relief, highlighting multiple FIRs registered against him for similar offenses throughout his administrative career.
Justice Divyesh Joshi, while denying the bail application, observed:
"It is pertinent to note that in recent times, there has been a rise in socio-economic offenses across the country. These offenses are primarily committed for personal financial gain and significantly impact the economic structure of the nation, thereby eroding public trust in the system."
He further elaborated on the potential risk of granting bail in such cases, stating:
"Given the influential position of the accused, there is a high probability of case manipulation. Granting bail depends on the severity of the offense and the surrounding circumstances, and in this case, it is not justified."
Case Details: PRADEEP NIRANKARNATH SHARMA v. DIRECTORATE OF ENFORCEMENT AND ANR| SLP(Crl) No. 6185/2023
