New Delhi, June 28: Over a decade after he was chargesheeted in a corruption case, a Delhi court has ordered framing of charges against the then CBI DIG O P Sharma for allegedly having taken bribe from a man on behalf of Jain brothers, also implicated in the Hawala case. Special judge P K Bhasin has fixed July 1 for framing of charges against Sharma when the court would ask him whether he would like to plead guilty or prefer trial.
The case dates back to June 16, 1991, when CBI allegedly caught him red-handed at his R K Puram residence here accepting illegal gratification of Rs 10 lakh from one L K Kaul who said to have acted on behalf of the Jain brothers - Surender and Jitender. Sharma has been charged under Section 506 (II) of IPC (criminal intimidation) along with Section 7 (demanding bribe) and Section 13 (misuse of official position by a public servant) of Prevention of Corruption Act. He faces a maximum punishment of seven years rigorous imprisonment.
In his complaint, Kaul alleged that Sharma had threatened to register a Tada case against his friends Surender and Jitender unless he was paid Rs 30 lakh. According to CBI counsel K N Sharma, the Jain brothers were prime accused in the Hawala case, which had rocked the country in the 90s.
Kaul alleged he had received Rs 20 lakh from Surender in May 1991 of which he paid Rs 19 lakh to Sharma and retained Rs one lakh with him. Surender stated that in the first week of June 1991, he advanced the balance amount of Rs 10 lakh to Kaul, adding he never wanted to give this money but for the threats from Sharma.
Pursuant to Kaul's complaint that he was threatened by Sharma, CBI laid a trap and arrested the accused. Bureau Report