Apex Court sends notice to Narendra Modi on an IAS officer’s petition

THE Supreme Court of India on Friday issued notice to Gujarat chief minister and one of the most powerful BJP leaders Narendra Modi on a petition by 1994 batch IAS officer Pradeep N Sharma, who had complained he was being targeted. The IAS officer seeks a CBI probe into five cases pending against him, the last being slapped on May 12, 2011. Sharma also appealed for the transfer of the trial outside Gujarat.

The petitioner has argued that he was victimized because he is the younger brother of Kuldip Sharma, a senior IPS officer in Gujarat and additional Director General of Police. The petitioner further argued that his brother too was targeted by the government as he did not abide by the “illegal instructions of Mr Modi” and the then state home minister Amit Shah. The chief minister reportedly downgraded the ACRs of Kuldip Sharma forcing him to remain at the same rank.

Pradeep Sharma had earlier served as the municipal commissioner of Jamnagar, additional collector to earthquake-hit Bhuj and collector in Rajkot district.