Former Mumbai Cop Pradeep Sharma Gets Life Sentence In 2006 Fake Encounter Case

Mumbai: In a landmark judgment, the Bombay High Court has convicted former policeman Pradeep Sharma and sentenced him to life imprisonment for his involvement in the 2006 fake encounter killing of Ramnarayan Gupta, an alleged associate of gangster Chhota Rajan.

A division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Gauri Godse quashed the 2013 sessions court judgment that acquitted Sharma, calling it “unsustainable” and criticizing the court for overlooking “overwhelming evidence” against him. The high court stated that a “common chain of evidence” conclusively proves Sharma’s role in the crime.

The court directed Sharma to surrender within three weeks. The high court also upheld the life sentences of 13 other individuals, including police personnel, who were convicted by the trial court. However, the court acquitted six other accused who had been previously convicted.

A total of 22 individuals, including 13 police officers, were initially charged with the murder of Gupta. The sessions court in 2013 acquitted Sharma due to lack of evidence but convicted and sentenced 21 others to life imprisonment. Two of the convicted accused died while in custody.

The high court’s decision comes after appeals were filed by both the accused and the prosecution. The prosecution, represented by Special Public Prosecutor Rajiv Chavan, successfully argued that Sharma was not only involved in the encounter but played a central role in the entire operation, including the abduction and murder of Gupta.