Shimla, July 23,Â
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has granted Ashish Sharma, the newly elected MLA from Hamirpur, permission to travel to Dubai as part of his interim bail conditions. Sharma, who is facing serious charges including election influence, bribery, and criminal conspiracy, must return by July 30 to attend his next court hearing.
Sharma and his father, Rakesh Sharma, are under investigation following a complaint filed by Sanjay Awasthi and Bhubaneswar Gour. The complaint led to an FIR under sections 171(c) and 171(e) of the IPC, as well as sections 7 and 8 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The case alleges misuse of resources and undue influence in the elections.
On April 1, the court had granted anticipatory bail to both Ashish and Rakesh Sharma, but the final confirmation was still pending. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) presented evidence of lavish expenditures on travel and accommodation, suggesting that these expenses were funded by individuals involved in attempts to destabilize the state government.
Also read:High Court provides temporary relief to BJP candidate Ashish Sharma in election influence case
Ashish Sharma’s lawyer, Advocate Sudhir Thakur, submitted a supplementary affidavit detailing Sharma’s trip. According to the affidavit, Sharma will be staying with his friend, in Dubai and attending a family event. The court approved the travel request under the condition that Sharma returns to India by July 30 and cooperates fully with the ongoing investigation.
The High Court’s decision highlights the need for Sharma’s prompt return to support the investigation, which also involves examining the role of a private secretary to Haryana’s Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and issuing presence warrants for four former Congress MLAs to aid the probe.
Also read:SIT grills BJP candidate Ashish Sharma for alleged role in destabilizing Himachal Pradesh Congress Govt
The legal teams are preparing for the next hearing as the investigation continues.
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