Suspended IAS officer sent to 4-day custody in corruption case

Kutch, Feb 15 (PTI) A local court here today remanded thesuspended IAS officer Pradeep Sharma to four-day custody ofstate CID in connection with a corruption case where he isaccused of selling government land to a private firm byviolating rules.

Chief Judicial magistrate V F Bhaat remanded Sharma toCID custody till February 19.

Sharma was arrested from Delhi last night after hisanticipatory bail plea was rejected by a local court.

Sharma allegedly sold government land in Varshamedivillage of Anjar taluka to Welspun Company at half the marketprice, during his tenure as Kutch Collector, from 2003 to2006.

The FIR says that as the Collector, Sharma had passedseveral orders exceeding his authority, selling 80,000 sq ftof land to Welspun for Rs 12 lakh.

He had been arrested earlier last year in connectionwith another corruption case, and spent nine months in jailbefore getting bail. This case involved alleged allotment ofland meant for rehabilitation of 2001 earthquake victims toineligible persons by forgery of documents.