Snooping case: Sharma seeks CBI probe against Modi

Urges SC to take note of audio tapes aired by news portals, says they're proof of how state govt tried to frame him in "frivolous" cases

Suspended Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Pradeep Sharma, fighting a legal battle against the Narendra Modi government, on Saturday pleaded with the apex court to order a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe against the chief minister in the snooping controversy, saying it was done illegally.

Sharma urged the court to take cognisance of audio tapes aired by news portals saying those contained proof of how the state had tried to frame him in "frivolous" cases.

"Direct the CBI to register a case and conduct a thorough inquiry into the violation of the Telegraph Act 1885 and other applicable laws by Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and any other such persons," he said in his application filed in the apex court.

He submitted he is being victimised as he had the knowledge of the alleged intimacy shared by Modi with a young lady architect and also because his younger brother Kuldip Sharma, a senior IPS officer in the state, has "unmasked" many "misdeeds" of Modi government since Godhra riots.     Sharma, a 1984 batch IAS officer, is facing six criminal cases including a case for alleged irregularity in land allotment to private firms in Kutch district in 2008. He sought that the probe in these cases be handed over to CBI.

"The said tapes/transcripts reveal a strong bias and prejudice of the state of Gujarat against him and the state’s intent to somehow implicate him in criminal offences," he said adding "these transcripts now present an ex post facto confirmation of his apprehension".

Sharma, who last served as Bhavnagar Municipal Commissioner, was arrested on January 6, 2010 in a case involving alleged irregularities in Kutch earthquake rehabilitation.

The IAS officer in his petition, however, alleged he is being targeted by Modi government.

"The petitioner happens to be the brother of Kuldip Sharma who has unmasked many misdeeds of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, the ex-Home Minister, since the 2002 Godhra riots.

"The two siblings have been very close to each other right from childhood and share very strong fraternal bonds. In order to cause prejudice to Kuldip Sharma, the petitioner has been victimised by Chief Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah," the petition said.