SC notice to modi on ‘victimised’ ias officer’s plea

The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice to Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi on a state IAS officer’s petition alleging he was being victimised for not following “illegal instructions” by his political bosses.

The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice to Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi on a state IAS officer’s petition alleging he was being victimised for not following “illegal instructions” by his political bosses.

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A 1984 batch IAS officer, Pradeep N Sharma has requested the SC to direct a CBI probe into four criminal cases against him and shift their trial outside Gujarat. Sharma is at present in judicial custody. He claimed he has become a victim of politics as his elder brother and IPS officer Kuldip Sharma had unmasked “many misdeeds of Modi” since the Godhra riots.

A bench comprising justice Aftab Alam and justice RM Lodha asked Modi and the state to respond within four weeks to Sharma’s allegations. The CBI and Centre too are directed to file response on Sharma’s plea that an independency agency should probe the cases.

The bench, which decided to entertain Sharma’s petition, however, took strong exception to the submissions aimed at tarnishing Modi’s image. Sharma alleged in his petition he was being victimised as he was aware of the CM’s proximity to a woman. The allegations was later withdrawn.