Bhopal, April 11 (IANS) A Bhopal court on Friday granted bail to the family members of Saurabh Sharma, a former Constable of Madhya Pradesh Transport Department, on Friday, in a disproportionate assets case.

The court has granted bail to his mother, wife, cousin, and brother-in-law on a personal bond of Rs 10 lakh each.

However, the decision on Sharma’s bail plea has not been taken yet as he is in judicial custody.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had questioned Sharma for a long time and has so far seized and confiscated Rs 100.36 crore.

The family members of Sharma received bail from the Special PMLA court in Bhopal, his lawyer Rakesh Parashar told IANS.

On the other hand, Sharma’s bail plea has not been heard.

“Bail has been granted by the court of Special Judge Ashutosh Shukla on furnishing personal bonds of Rs 10 lakh each,” the advocate said.

There was no hearing on Sharma’s bail plea on Friday.

The family members of the former Madhya Pradesh Transport Department Constable were arrested by the ED for alleged violation of the PMLA.

During this time, they were questioned for a long time.

On April 9, the ED also had filed a prosecution complaint in the court against Sharma and others.

Sharma and others are facing a probe on charges of corruption by multiple agencies, including the Lokayukta, the ED, the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Income Tax Department, and the Madhya Pradesh Police.

A fresh application for bail will be filed again in the court for Sharma and others, his lawyer said.

Sharma was appointed on October 29, 2016, and took voluntary retirement on June 9, 2023.

His appointment had rocked the state Assembly during the recently concluded Budget session.

Later, the state police have also filed a case against Sharma and his mother for filing a ‘false affidavit’ that none of his family members were in a government job to secure a government job on compassionate grounds after the death of his father.

His elder brother, Sachin Sharma, already held a government position in the Chhattisgarh government, a fact he deliberately concealed at the time of his appointment.

–IANS

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