Supreme Court grants bail to ex-cop Pradeep Sharma in 2006 encounter case

The Bombay High Court, while convicting him, had ordered Sharma to surrender within three weeks after its decision. However, the apex court in April granted Sharma exemption from surrendering before authorities until further order.

On March 19, the Bombay High Court had convicted Sharma in the fake encounter case and sentenced him to life imprisonment following which he appealed the decision before the apex court. Earlier, a sessions court in Mumbai had acquitted Sharma in July 2013 but convicted 21 people including 13 police personnel.

Ramprasad Gupta, brother of Ramnarayan Gupta alias Lakhan Bhaiya, who has been pursuing the case said, “It is disappointing that the state government said it had no objection, thereby favouring Sharma.”

The case arose from the encounter killing of Ramnarayan Gupta alias Lakhan Bhaiya, an alleged member of Chhota Rajan gang.

Gupta and his friend were picked up on November 11, 2006 in a suburb area in Mumbai and Gupta was killed on the same day allegedly in a fake encounter.

The case was registered in 2009 after a special investigation team led by IPS officer KMM Prasanna found that a rival had paid police to kill Gupta. The SIT was formed on the basis of a high court order directing registration of FIR.

Sharma is also an accused in the Mansukh Hiran murder case which is linked to the Antilia terror threat case in which gelatin sticks were kept outside the residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani in 2021.