ED seizes Gujarat-cadre IAS officer Pradeep Sharma's property

AHMEDABAD: Enforcement Directorate today seized the property of suspended IAS officer Pradeep Sharma under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

It includes a piece of land in Dehgam village of Gandhinagar district and a bungalow in the state capital, said a senior ED official here.

"The land in Dehgam is worth Rs 65 to 70 lakh while the bungalow itself is worth Rs 1 crore. We attached the land and 35 per cent of the bungalow to arrive at Rs 1 crore figure," he said.

In March 2012, ED had registered a case against Sharma, a Gujarat-cadre officer, for allegedly selling government land to Kutch-based Welspun Group when he was the collector of Kutch in 2003-04 at a cheaper rate, causing a loss of Rs 1 crore to Gujarat government.

ED also found that Sharma's wife was made director of a packaging firm, which was indirectly connected with Welspun Group.

"To recover the loss, we have today seized his property worth Rs 1 crore," said the official.

Sharma is facing six criminal cases for corruption in Gujarat.