the Special PMLA Court in Ahmedabad on Saturday convicted former IAS officer Pradeep Nirankarnath Sharma in a money-laundering case linked to cheating and criminal breach of trust.
The court on Saturday sentenced him to five years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹50,000. In case of default, Sharma will undergo an additional three months of simple imprisonment.
In a decisive move, the court also ordered the confiscation of assets worth ₹1.32 crore to the Central government. These assets had earlier been attached by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) during its probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
The conviction has sent shockwaves through the administrative corridors. Sitting and retired IAS officers — especially those with questionable track records — are reportedly rattled as the law finally tightens its grip on a senior bureaucrat long accused of corruption.
With this conviction, a larger question now looms: Will the Enforcement Directorate widen its net to bring all corrupt officers of doubtful integrity across departments to justice?
Sources say the Sharma verdict may embolden the agency to intensify its investigations, particularly in cases where probes have been stalled due to influence or administrative pressure. The verdict is being seen as a strong message that rank or retirement is no shield against prosecution.
For now, the ED’s action has reignited hopes among transparency advocates that sustained legal pressure could help clean up the steel frame of Indian governance — one prosecution at a time.
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