E-Paper
‘Amid assembly session’: Summoning an opposition MLA to vigilance HQs unprecedented: Sudhir Sharma
Sharma was accompanied by BJP legislators where he was questioned with regards to the alleged case of disproportionate assets registered against him by the agency
Former minister and BJP MLA from Dharamshala, Sudhir Sharma, reached the state vigilance and anti-corruption bureau (SV&ACB) headquarters in Shimla in connection with the ongoing investigation.
Sharma was accompanied by BJP legislators where he was questioned with regards to the alleged case of disproportionate assets registered against him by the agency.
Speaking to the media, Sharma said that he fully respects the law and is cooperating with the investigation. He said that the information sought by the vigilance has already been provided wherever required, and the questions raised by the investigating agency are being answered with facts and documents.
“We are law-abiding people. Whatever facts are there will eventually come before the people of Himachal Pradesh. There is nothing to hide, and I will continue to cooperate fully with the investigation,” Sharma said.
Sharma questioned the timing of the vigilance action, saying that the Himachal Pradesh assembly is currently in session and summoning an Opposition MLA during the proceedings raises serious questions.
“It is unprecedented that during an ongoing assembly session, an MLA is called away in this manner. The present government appears determined to suppress the voice of the Opposition. Such an approach cannot continue for long,” he alleged.
Sharma asserted that no investigation or political pressure would prevent BJP legislators from raising issues concerning the people of Himachal Pradesh. Questioning the procedure adopted in the investigation, Sharma said that the case pertains to Dharamshala and the relevant records are also located there.
“The case is in Dharamshala and the documents are there. I fail to understand why I have been summoned to the vigilance headquarters in Shimla and why there is such urgency. Every investigation has a procedure and protocol, and these must be followed,” Sharma said.
He further said that there is a prescribed procedure for informing the legislative assembly when action is initiated against a sitting MLA. According to Sharma, the sequence of events in his case raises questions that need to be answered.
Launching an attack on the Congress government, Sharma alleged that the vigilance action was being used to divert public attention from issues that the Opposition was preparing to raise during the assembly session.
Sharma questioned over land transactions: Vigilance
In a statement issued on Friday, the state vigilance bureau said that Sharma had appeared for further examination in connection to the ongoing investigation into alleged disproportionate assets. During today’s examination, Sharma was again questioned regarding his income, assets, investments, land transactions and expenditure during the relevant check period.
The investigating team, inter alia, again sought complete particulars regarding the construction and furnishing of his Rakkar residence. The statement said that on several material financial issues, the replies furnished during today’s examination remained evasive and lacked specific particulars capable of immediate verification. Sharma has accordingly been asked to furnish the requisite documentary evidence so that his explanations can be objectively verified against independent banking, taxation, property and other financial records.
