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Disproportionate assets case: Dharamshala MLA appears before vigilance bureau
The notice issued by the bureau had directed Sharma to provide, at the time of appearance, the documents and records relating to his declared income, sale of land, construction of a residential house at Rakkar, vehicles, investments, bank accounts and other financial transactions
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Dharamshala, Sudhir Sharma, appeared before the vigilance bureau on Tuesday after skipping the summons on August 13.
His appearance came amid tight security arrangements, protests by his supporters, and police personnel deployed around the VB office.
The state vigilance and anti-corruption bureau (SV&ACB) had summoned him to appear before the investigating officer at the SV&ACB police station in Dharamshala in connection with an FIR registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The legislator skipped the VB appearance on August 13, as he said he was not present in the state at the time. The agency had registered an FIR against Sharma on July 29 over allegations of possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. The legislator has rejected the allegations. Sharma had termed the action against him as an “act of political vendetta by the present Congress government”.
The notice issued by the bureau had directed Sharma to provide, at the time of appearance, the documents and records relating to his declared income, sale of land, construction of a residential house at Rakkar, vehicles, investments, bank accounts and other financial transactions.
No property, transaction being concealed: Sharma
Sharma in a statement said that a detailed response is being submitted to the notice issued to him and that he is extending full cooperation to the investigation. “Complete details of all transactions sought by the vigilance department are being provided on the basis of available documentary records,” he said. He asserted that neither has any property been concealed nor has any financial transaction been hidden.
He questioned how any property could be concealed from the government when details of a politician’s assets and liabilities declared in election affidavits are publicly accessible. Sharma said property registrations, sale deeds and revenue records are already maintained by government departments, while bank accounts, demat accounts and investment-related records are available with the respective financial institutions.
