JAMMU: Mystery shrouds the death of a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Deputy Superintendent of Police Prashant Sharma in a mysterious road accident on B C Road near Bus Stand on late Friday evening.
Many eye-brows have been raised over the mystery accident that left the CBI officer in a critical condition that proved fatal for him on his way to a hospital in Ludhiana in Punjab where he was being shifted for a specialized treatment from Jammu hospital on Saturday morning.
Reports appearing in a section of the local media and news gathering agencies did not provide details about how the accident took place and which vehicles were involved in the mishap. The officer was investigating many high-profile corruption cases in Jammu and Kashmir for the past two years.
Prashant Sharma, son of Dharampal Sharma, a resident of Paloura Jammu, was posted as DySP in the CBI office at Panama Chowk, Jammu, was riding his motor-cycle when he met with an accident. He was shifted to Medical College Hospital by some people, who were witness to the accident.
Local news gathering agencies’ reports said that the deceased DySP was moving towards Jewel Chowk on his motor-cycle from the Bus Stand when he met with an accident.
Gaon Tribune, a website quoting eyewitnesses said between 11 and 11.30 pm, DySP Prashant Sharma met with an accident between Jewel Chowk and Bus-Stand.
As per police record, “On 26-04-2024 at about 2357 hrs, Dy. SP Prashant Sharma (posted in CBI Jammu) age 52 yrs S/O Dharam Pal Sharma R/O Paloura, Jammu was admitted in GMC Jammu due to RTA at Jewel (Bullet motorcycle skidded off), further referred to DMC Ludhiana, Punjab where he died on way. Dead body shifted to GMC Jammu for medico-legal formalities.”
Some locals shifted him to Government Medical College Hospital in critical condition, the reports said.
“A DySP rank officer of the CBI met with an accident near the Bus Stand between 10.30 pm to 11.30 pm. He was shifted to the GMC Jammu”, a senior police officer said and added that due to his critical condition, he was referred to a private hospital in Ludhaina, Punjab but he succumbed to his injuries on the way, Gaon Tribune report said.
CBI officer was investigating high-profile corruption cases
As per reports, the deceased DySP Prashant Sharma was investigating many high-profile cases including the Police Sub-Inspectors recruitment scandal, the Junior Engineer (JE) Civil recruitment scam, and the Kiru Hydro Electric Power Project scam in which some influential persons are allegedly involved.
It is important to mention here that CBI had registered two separate cases at the request of the Jammu and Kashmir Government on the allegations of malpractices in the award of a contract of J&K Employees Health Care Insurance Scheme to a private company and release of Rs 60 crore in the year 2017-18.
The J&K government had entrusted the probe to CBI the award of the contract worth Rs 2200 crore (approximately) of civil works of Kiru Hydro Electric Power Project (HEP) to a private firm in the year 2019.
Deceased DySP was investigating both high-profile cases.
The CBI has already filed a chargesheet in November 2022, implicating 24 individuals, including high-ranking officials and various others, in the scam. The investigation revealed a complex conspiracy involving the theft and sale of question papers, with allegations of involvement from multiple parties across different states.
Political parties demand an impartial probe
Former Minister and senior PDP leader Naeem Akthar has demanded an impartial probe into the incident.
“PDP @jkpdp calls for impartial, time bound and credible investigation. Given the fact that the Late Dy SP has been investigating very crucial cases there should be no room for doubts about circumstances. We express our deepest sympathies with the family of the deceased officer”, Akthar posted on his social media account.
—–
