NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Monday granted pardon to Lokesh Sharma, former Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot. Sharma’s pardon was approved after he agreed to disclose all details of the alleged illegal surveillance of Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.
Chief Judicial Magistrate Anuj Kumar Singh of Patiala House Court said, “Given the nature of the criminal conspiracy, where direct evidence is scarce, Sharma’s statement under Section 164 CrPC is crucial for justice. Therefore, his pardon under Section 306 CrPC is warranted,” noted the judge.
Sharma had been charged in 2021 under the IPC, Indian Telegraph Act, and IT Act following Shekhawat’s complaint that his calls were unlawfully intercepted during the 2020 political upheaval in Rajasthan. This turmoil involved Congress leader Sachin Pilot’s rebellion against Gehlot’s government.
Sharma secured anticipatory bail in November 2021, shortly after which he was arrested and released as per court orders. He had previously sought to move the case to Rajasthan but withdrew his petition, allowing the court to lift the stay on his arrest.
On November 14, Sharma had withdrawn his petition filed in the Delhi High Court seeking relief from arrest and requesting a transfer of the case to Rajasthan. After the withdrawal, the court lifted the stay on his arrest.
Dates back to 2020
The phone-tapping case dates back to July 2020, during the rebellion led by Sachin Pilot against then CM Ashok Gehlot. Lokesh Sharma allegedly leaked audio recordings in which BJP leaders were purportedly heard conspiring to buy Congress MLAs.