Assets: Doctor couple get 7 years in jail, fined ₹1 crore

: An anti-corruption court sentenced a doctor couple to seven years of rigorous imprisonment on Thursday and slapped a fine of ₹1 crore on them in a case of disproportionate assets.

The court also ordered that a private hospital run by the doctor couple be sealed. Five co-accused in the case were handed three to five years of imprisonment.

Additional director of prosecution (ACB court) Ehsaan Ali Ahmad said, “Dr RP Sharma and his wife Dr Mohini Sharma were found guilty of conspiracy to accumulate wealth even as they served in the government.”

Dr RP Sharma was a medical officer at the Government Maharao Bhim Singh Hospital of Kota from 1982 to 1998. During this period he set up TT Hospital and Research Centre in which his wife, her parents and four others made investments as board members.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) lodged the disproportionate assets case against the couple in 2003, charging them with accumulating wealth of ₹33 lakh through illegal means.

The court has also directed the Kota district collector to seize TT Hospital and recover fine of ₹1 crore from the couple.

The co-accused include Dr Mohini Sharma’s parents Tejkaran Sharma and Chandrakanta Sharma, and three others -Geetanjali Sharma, Kishan Gopal and Aslam Pathan. One accused died during trial of the case.

The ACB court sentenced the parents of Dr Mohini Sharma to 3 years’ rigorous imprisonment and fined each ₹5 lakh. Geetanjali, Kishan Gopal and Aslam Pathan were handed 5 years’ rigorous imprisonment and fined ₹5 lakh.

All the accused have been found guilty under section 120B of IPC for criminal conspiracy and under section 13 (1) (E) and 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

KOTA