2023 Illegal Land Allotment Case: SC Rejects Bail Plea Of Ex-Gujarat IAS Officer

Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Monday denied bail to retired IAS officer Pradeep Nirankarnath Sharma in a case involving illegal land allotment in Bhuj, Kutch, filed in 2023.

Sharma, who was the collector of Kutch district at the time, is accused of corruption and criminal breach of trust for allegedly allotting government land illegally for financial gain. The case was registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta ruled that there was no valid reason to overturn the previous decision, dismissing Sharma’s appeal.

Allegations Against Sharma

Sharma is accused of corruption and criminal breach of trust for allegedly misusing his position as the then-collector of Kutch to illegally allot government land for financial benefits. The case was registered under sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Supreme Court’s Decision

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta ruled against Sharma, stating that there was no valid reason to interfere with the previous order. Consequently, the appeal was dismissed.

Before approaching the Supreme Court, Sharma had applied for bail in the Gujarat High Court, which denied his plea in March 2023. The High Court noted that several FIRs had been filed against him for similar offenses.

Judge’s Observation

Justice Divyesh Joshi, while rejecting Sharma’s plea, pointed out that economic crimes are increasing in India and are committed purely for personal gain. He emphasized that such crimes harm the country’s economic system and erode public trust in governance. Given Sharma’s influential position, the court believed he could manipulate the case, making bail inappropriate.