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CBI raids on senior Delhi police officer

Onkar Singh in New Delhi

The Central Bureau of Investigation raided the office and residence of a top-ranking police officer in Delhi on Tuesday and uncovered ''immovable and movable assets worth Rs 1.17 crore.''

The raid on the Telegraph Lane house of Additional Commissioner of Police J K Sharma, part of a larger anti-corruption drive, started early in the morning and continued till late evening.

According to senior CBI officials, two teams simultaneously raided Sharma's office and residence and seized documents pertaining to properties owned by Sharma and his family. These include a flat in Dwarka, a jewellery shop in Hauz Khas, an industrial plot in Delhi (east), another industrial plot in NOIDA, a residential plot in Gurgoan, a farm house at Kanganheri and some land in Jammu and Kashmir.

The CBI team also seized jewellery worth Rs 7 lakh, $ 8000 in cash, an air-conditioned Maruti Esteem car, Rs13 lakh in cash and some share certificates.

Delhi Commissioner of Police Ajay Raj Sharma admitted that the image of his department had taken a beating because of the raid. He, however, said he was not in a position to take any action against Sharma as the IPS cadre was controlled of the Home Ministry.

''Yesterday, one SP of the CBI had come and sought permission to raid J K Sharma's office. After he showed me the relevant documents, I granted the permission," Raj told newsmen.

Though senior Delhi police officers put up a brave front today, insiders said the entire IPS cadre in the city was taken aback by the CBI action. It is the first time that an officer of the rank of an additional commissioner has been raided.

Central Vigilance Commissioner N Vittal denied that his office had anything to do with the raids. "I am not aware whether his name figures in our CVC list of corrupt officers," Vittal told rediff.com.

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