Bhopal, Jan 28 (IANS) Former Regional Transport Officer (RTO) Constable Saurabh Sharma along with his associate Chetan Gaur, who were arrested under the Prevention of Corruption Act, were produced before a Bhopal court on Tuesday.
While Sharma and Gaur were produced in the court by Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta Police, following more than five hours of questioning, meanwhile, another co-accused in the case — Sharad Jaiswal also surrendered in the court.
During the hearing, Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta demanded seven days of custody for the investigation.
The special Lokayukta Court sent all the accused for seven-day police (Lokayukta) custody (till February 4).
The accused trio has been evading police arrest since the Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta registered a case against them more than 40 days back.
For instance, Sharma was arrested by Lokayukta Police minutes before he intended to surrender before the court on Tuesday.
Following his arrest, Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta Director General (DG) Jaideep Prashad on Tuesday noon told media persons that Sharma was arrested from Bhopal and was being questioned.
However, he didn’t mention about Chetan Gaur’s arrest.
Responding to the media’s query, Prashad has said that Sharma would be produced in the court after questioning, and the co-accused in the case would be arrested soon.
However, Lokayukta Police produced Sharma and his aide Chetan Gaur together before the court. Meanwhile, Sharad Jaiswal also reached the court and surrendered.
The Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta Police also avoided questions on where the accused trio has been hiding for the last 40 days and how they appeared all of a sudden.
“Lokayukta team has received input that Sharma will be in Bhopal on Tuesday and the team acted on the information and arrested him,” DG Prashad has said.
Notably, Saurabh Sharma’s case got more limelight after the Income Tax (IT) officials recovered 52 kg of gold worth more than Rs 40 crore and Rs 9.86 crore in cash from an abandoned car.
The car, bearing a number plate registered as MP 07 (Gwalior RTO) under the name of Chetan Gaur, was discovered late at night on December 19 from Bhopal.
Later, based on Lokayukta’s complaint, the Enforcement Department (ED) also carried out searches at multiple locations and recovered properties worth several crores of rupees.
In the past month, ED raided more than 12 offices and premises belonging to Sharma and his relatives suspected to be connected to the case.
According to official sources, the ED also questioned Sharma’s wife and mother on Monday, however, they were let off after a few hours of questioning.
Sharma was appointed as a Constable in the transport department in 2016 on compassionate ground after his father, a government doctor at Gwalior district hospital died in 2015.
He worked as RTO constable for 12 years and took a voluntarily retirement from services in 2023.
The official said Sharma’s application to take voluntary retirement was accepted in 2023 even though an inquiry was pending against him.
–IANS
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