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Synopsis

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday convicted Mumbai's former top cop Pradeep Sharma and 12 other police officers in the fake encounter case of Gangster Chotta Rajan’s aide Ramnarayan Gupta, aka Lakhan Bhaiya, in November 2006.

The division bench of the high court, comprising Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice Gauri Godse, was hearing an appeal filed against the judgment of the trial court.

“The trial court had overlooked the overwhelming evidence available against Sharma. The common chain of evidence unerringly proves his involvement in the case,” the court said.

Lakhan Bhaiya and his friend were picked up by the police in November 2006 from Vashi on suspicion that he was a member of Chotta Rajan’s Gang.

The police killed Lakhan Bhaiya in a fake encounter near Versova at the Nana Nani Park.

The trial court had convicted a total of 21 people for staging a fake encounter of Lakhan Bhaiya and acquitted ex-cop Pradeep Sharma in the case. The trial court had awarded life imprisonment to all 21 of them. However, 2 out of the 21 died in custody.

In the appeal, out of 19 remaining convicts, the high court acquitted 6 of them and quashed their conviction. The high court also convicted Pradeep Sharma, who had been acquitted by the trial court.

The convictions handed down by the trial court led to appeals being filed by the accused. Additionally, Lakhan Bhaiya’s brother, Ramprasad Gupta, also filed an appeal against the acquittal of Pradeep Sharma.

Special Public Prosecutor Rajiv Chavan argued that the case involved a staged murder orchestrated by officers who were custodians of law and order.

It was further argued that Pradeep Sharma was the main conspirator and the leader of the entire operation involving the abduction and murder of Lakhan Bhaiya