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In a significant verdict, the Bombay High Court on Tuesday declared encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma guilty in the 2006 Lakhan Bhaiyya fake encounter case, sentencing him to life imprisonment. The court’s decision marks a pivotal moment in the long-standing legal battle surrounding the controversial incident.
The high court’s ruling overturned Sharma’s previous acquittal, deeming it “perverse” and asserting that the trial court had overlooked substantial evidence against him. Additionally, the court dismissed the appeals filed by 10 other accused, including nine police officials, thereby upholding the conviction handed down by the sessions court.
The case dates back to November 11, 2006, when a police team apprehended Ram Narayan Gupta, alias Lakkhan Bhaiya, on suspicion of his alleged involvement with the Rajan gang. Gupta, along with his friend Anil Bheda, was taken into custody and later killed in what authorities have deemed a “fake” encounter near Nana Nani Park in suburban Versova, Western Mumbai.
The prosecution’s case unfolded with allegations that Bheda was detained by the police, initially at the D N Nagar police station in Versova, before being transferred to Kolhapur and subsequently brought back to Mumbai for further interrogation. These events prompted Gupta’s brother, advocate Ramprasad Gupta, to file a petition with the Bombay High Court, alleging police involvement in his brother’s murder.
In response to mounting pressure and public scrutiny, the Bombay High Court ordered a magisterial inquiry in February 2008, which concluded that the encounter was, in fact, a “cold-blooded” murder. Subsequently, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was established by the High Court in September 2009 to investigate the case thoroughly.
Pradeep Sharma, along with 21 others, was arrested by the SIT on January 8, 2010, for their alleged roles in orchestrating the fake encounter. Investigators assert that Sharma was implicated in the murder at the behest of Navi Mumbai-based builder Janardhan Bange, alias Janya Sheth, who allegedly sought Gupta’s elimination.
However, the case took a dramatic turn when Bheda, the sole eyewitness, went missing from his residence in Navi Mumbai on March 12, 2011, just days before he was scheduled to testify in court.
With Sharma’s conviction and the dismissal of appeals by the other accused, the Bombay High Court’s verdict marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of justice for the victims of the Lakhan Bhaiyya fake encounter case, offering a glimmer of hope for accountability and transparency within law enforcement agencies.
