Gujarat govt flip-flops in Pradeep Sharma case

Senior IAS officer Pradeep Sharma, who is accused of committing irregularities in allotment of land among quake victims in Bhuj, was cleared of this charge by the state government in June 2009. But in an action that has raised questions about the government’s intentions, the June 2009 order exonerating Sharma was cancelled by another order (dated December 23, 2009) just a few days before his arrest.

DNA has in its possession a copy of the ‘government resolution’ (GR) that was passed by the state revenue department on June 1, 2009, giving Sharma a clean chit in the case; and also of the December 23 order with which the government reopened the case. The June 2009 GR was issued following the decision taken in the matter in March 2009 by the principal secretary, revenue department, P Panneervel, and the principal secretary, industries & mines department, Maheshwar Sahu.

The GR states that the steps taken by Sharma as the district collector of Bhuj were in accordance with government policy. Further, it explains that, on the basis of the revenue department’s GR dated September 3, 2002, land at the wholesale market was distributed at market prices among quake-affected businesses.

“This was done despite the fact that the revenue department allots land to applicants at market prices through auction,” the June 2009 GR says, adding that “in this case, the G1 and G5 categories are not applicable. In this case, the
victims have been given land at market prices without auction.”
In conclusion, the June 2009 stated: “So the action of the district collector [Sharma] is in accordance with the policy of the department. The GRs issued by the industry & mines department later regarding G4 and G5 categories are related to financial assistance on a priority basis. So the land allotted in the wholesale market is according to the government order and in accordance with the present policy of the state
government.’’

Not only this, the current Bhuj collector had written a letter on July 10, 2009 to the principal secretary (appeal-dispute) in which he referred to the revenue department’s June 2009 GR. He had requested the principal secretary to consider the complaint against Sharma in the light of the June 2009 GR, which had exonerated the IAS officer of all charges.

Strangely, the six-line order issued by the same revenue department on December 23, 2009 (a few days before Sharma’s arrest) withdraws the clean chit given earlier.

It states: “The various instructions and conditions of the industry & mines department, and the rules laid down in the revenue department’s GR dated September 3, 2002, for the land allotment will be binding on the Bhuj collector [Sharma] again by this order. The order of June 1, 2009 will be considered cancelled.’’ Pradeep Sharma was municipal commissioner, Bhavnagar, when he was arrested on Wednesday by the state CID crime. He has been remanded in police custody till January 11.