Dharamshala: BJP MLA from Dharamshala and former minister Sudhir Sharma has strongly refuted allegations linking him to Nek Ram, who was recently arrested by the Vigilance Bureau in connection with a Rs 13 crore land scam. Sharma alleged that the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh is deliberately targeting him due to political vendetta.
In a series of statements, Sharma clarified that he had already disclosed all his assets and financial details in the election affidavit filed during the polls. He termed attempts to cast doubt on his financial standing as politically motivated and completely baseless.
On the questions being raised about Nek Ram, Sharma said that while he is his neighbour, that does not make him a close associate. “Being a neighbour does not prove that a person is close to me,” Sharma stated, adding that claims of Nek Ram being his close aide were false and unfounded.
The legislator has also sent defamation notices to some newspapers and news portals and mentioned the same on his social media handles. He said efforts are being made to tarnish his reputation and he would fight this legally. “All facts related to the matter will be placed before the people of the state,” he added.
Sharma emphasised that he is not under any pressure and it is his duty to bring the truth before the public. He made it clear that he would follow the legal process completely and would not step back on this issue.
Meanwhile, the BJP has also attacked the Congress government over the matter. The party warned that if Sharma is being targeted due to political rivalry, the BJP would not remain silent. Party leaders said a mass movement would be launched in the state if such a situation arises.
With Sharma issuing legal notices and the BJP warning of agitation, the matter has now escalated both on political and legal fronts. New facts and political reactions are likely to emerge in the coming days.
What is the case
The State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau had arrested Nek Ram from Dharamshala in connection with a land purchase and sale case worth Rs 13 crore. The court has sent the accused to judicial custody. During the action, the Vigilance team found several properties in Dharamshala and Palampur in the name of the accused, his wife and mother.
The Vigilance is probing the sources of the accused’s wealth and the actual beneficiaries. The nexus with revenue officials is also being investigated. It is alleged that Nek Ram executed illegal transfer of government and forest land through forged documents, fake signatures and power of attorney. The original revenue records of this land were also found missing during investigation.
300 registries seized, probe into transactions from 2007 onwards
During the investigation, layers of big land deals and linkages with influential people are coming to light. Based on the documents gathered so far, Nek Ram is being questioned about the actual sources of funds used in property transactions in Dharamshala and Palampur, financial dealings and the role of main beneficiaries.
The agency is investigating at what level the revenue records were tampered with and who all are involved. The Vigilance is also probing who the actual beneficiaries of these alleged land deals are. The team is investigating all suspicious land transactions from 2007 onwards in Dharamshala, Palampur and surrounding areas. Around 300 certified copies of registries related to land deals in the name of Nek Ram have been seized.
It may be noted that several newspapers and media channels had described Nek Ram as a close associate of MLA Sudhir Sharma, though Sharma has completely denied these claims.
