Fake encounter: govt to appeal Pradeep Sharma's acquittal

Maharashtra Government today told the Bombay High Court that it would soon file appeal against the acquittal of former 'encounter specialist' police officer Pradeep Sharma in the 2006 Ramnarayan Gupta fake encounter case.
Additional Public Prosecutor Hitendra Dedhia said a government notification was issued on September 17 authorising the prosecutor to file the appeal in the High Court, and it would be filed within ten days.
Advocate Ramprasad Gupta, Ramnarayan's brother, has filed appeal in the HC, challenging Sharma's acquittal by the Mumbai sessions court for lack of evidence.
While Sharma was acquitted, the sessions court convicted 21 others including 13 policemen and sentenced them to life imprisonment for murder.

On November 11, 2006, a police team picked up Ramnarayan alias Lakhan Bhaiyya, an alleged aid of gangster Chhota Rajan, from Navi Mumbai and shot him dead in suburban Versova the same evening. Later police claimed that he died in an encounter.
But his brother, advocate Gupta, moved the High Court alleging a fake encounter.
A special investigation team set up by the High Court concluded that Ramnarayan was killed by the police at the instance of his business rival and Navi Mumbai-based builder Janardhan Bange, who allegedly approached Sharma to have Ramnarayan killed.
The division bench headed by Justice P V Hardas today adjourned the hearing for four weeks after recording the prosecutor's statement.