NEW DELHI, Dec 9: The Central Bureau of Investigation has been asked to look into allegations of corruption against the Director General of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), R K Sharma.

CBI sources said that late last month, the Union Home Ministry asked the agency to "verify and investigate" the charges against Sharma levelled by CISF officers. These include alleged misuse of authority by Sharma and the "meddling into CISF affairs," by a tantrik considered close to the officer.

The Home Ministry's directive comes after the Delhi High Court, on November 26, while disposing of a PIL against Sharma observed that the allegations should be referred for further investigation to a "competent authority."

"The said inquiry should be done within a reasonable time and concluded in accordance with law," a Division Bench comprising the then Chief Justice A P Misra and Justice Dalveer Bhandari. The CBI has been asked to file its report within a month

.Sharma was unavailable for comment despite repeated attempts.

Among the charges against Sharma, a 1962 IPS officer of the Punjab cadre, are those involving alleged misuse of his official telephone, CISF manpower and official vehicles. It is also alleged that Sharma is "under the influence" of a Jaipur-based tantrik Akhilesh Sharma, who "meddles with the affairs and functioning of the CISF."

The allegations, which formed part of the PIL filed by the Bhrashtrachar Virodhi Morcha before the Delhi High Court recently, detail unusually high telephone bills of the DG's official telephone, the result of a large number of calls made to a particular number. It is alleged that his official telephone bill exceeded Rs 70,000 every billing cycle since June 1996.

Another allegation is that Sharma has deployed as many as 100 CISF personnel to provide him security cover at his office and residence, the expenditure of which runs into several lakhs of rupees. This, the petition alleged, was in violation of the standing rules as heads of other paramilitary forces do not have security cover of more than 15 personnel.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.