KHAKI SHAMED

13 city policemen sentenced to life in prison for fake encounter killing

State May Challenge Cop’s Acquittal

Rebecca Samervel & S Ahmed Ali TNN

Mumbai: A sessions court on Friday handed out life sentences to all 21 convicts, including 13 policemen, in the case of the 2006 fake encounter killing of former Chhota Rajan aide Lakhan Bhaiya alias Ramnarayan Gupta.
    This is the first encounter case in Mumbai in which cops — six police officers and seven constables — have been convicted. The court had held them guilty on July 5.
    Among the convicts is former encounter specialist Pradeep Suryavanshi. The main accused, former encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma, has been acquitted.
    While the life terms were given under various charges including criminal conspiracy to kidnap or commit murder, sessions judge V D Jadhavar also pronounced sentences ranging from three to seven years of rigorous imprisonment for destruction of evidence, kidnapping, and so on. All sentences will run concurrently.
    The convicts’ families said they will appeal against the verdict in the HC, while Sharma, dismissed from service in 2008, said he was not in favour of rejoining the police force.
    Special public prosecutor Vidya Kasle will ask the state to appeal against Sharma’s acquittal and seek enhancement of charges against some of those convicted. Kasle had sought death penalty for the convicted cops and two others.
    Lakhan Bhaiya was picked up from Vashi and killed in an encounter at Versova on Nov 11, 2006.
Lakhan Bhaiya encounter case
Total no of convictions
21
Police
officers
6 Constables 7 Others 8
The sentence Accused convicted under 25 charges. Two main charges under which all received life sentences — IPC Section 120 B read with Section 364 (criminal conspiracy to kidnap or abduct in order to murder); IPC Section 120 B read with section 302 (criminal conspiracy to commit murder)
The main players Encounter specialist Pradeep Suryavanshi, constables Tanaji Desai, Ratnakar Kamble, Vinayak Shinde, all accused of orchestrating the encounter. Desai pulled the trigger
    Private citizens Shailander Pandey, Hitesh Solanki, Akhil Khan alias Bobby had key roles in the killing
THE ROAD AHEAD
    SIT will appeal against the acquittal of Pradeep Sharma
    The convicted will appeal before the Bombay high court

Convicted encounter specialist Pradeep Suryavanshi outside the court with his daughter