Pradeep Sharma ‘aide’ Suryavanshi’s bail plea rejected

GUPTA ENCOUNTER CASE

Mateen Hafeez | TNN

Mumbai: A sessions court on Thursday rejected the bail applications of suspended senior police inspector Pradeep Suryavanshi and three others in the Ramnarayan Gupta encounter case. Suryavanshi and five other police officers have been arrested for allegedly killing Gupta in a fake encounter at Andheri in November 2006.

The six arrested police officers include erstwhile encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma. Sharma too has sought bail and the court has reserved the order on his application.

The encounter team had alleged that Gupta was a close aide of gangster Chhota Rajan and working on behalf of the fugitive don. Gupta’s brother, advocate R V Gupta, after the encounter, moved the Bombay high court, stating that the encounter was staged and that he had informed the then police commissioner and other police officials through fax that Gupta was picked up by the police. The high court then asked the state to set up a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the matter.

Court also rejected the bail applications of Shailendra Pande, Aqueel Khan and Mannu Mohan Raj. According to Gupta’s brother, the three were Pradip Sharma’s informers who picked up his brother on the day of alleged fake encounter and handed him over to Sharma’s team.

The Times of India, May 14, 2010