Former Mumbai police officer Pradeep Sharma has taken his legal battle to the Supreme Court, contesting his conviction and life imprisonment in a 2006 fake encounter case.
Sharma's move comes in response to the Bombay High Court's ruling, which found him guilty in the case involving the alleged staged encounter of Ramnarayan Gupta, an associate of gangster Chhota Rajan.
According to records from the apex court's website, Sharma, represented by lawyer Devina Sehgal, filed a special leave petition on March 21. Further details regarding the petition are awaited.
The Bombay High Court, presided over by a division bench comprising Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Gauri Godse, delivered its verdict on March 19, upholding Sharma's conviction and sentencing him to life imprisonment. The court also affirmed the convictions of 13 other individuals involved in the 2006 encounter case.
In its ruling, the high court concluded that the evidence presented by the prosecution convincingly demonstrated that Gupta had been unlawfully killed by police officers, orchestrating the incident to resemble a genuine encounter.
Among the convicted individuals are former police officers Nitin Sartape, Sandeep Sarkar, Tanaji Desai, and others, along with one civilian, Hitesh Solanki.
The high court's decision overturned a 2013 judgment by a sessions court, which had acquitted Sharma due to insufficient evidence.
The case dates back to November 11, 2006, when Gupta, also known as Lakkhan Bhaiya, was allegedly picked up by a police team in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, and subsequently killed in an alleged staged encounter near Versova, Mumbai.
While six other individuals, including civilians, were acquitted by the high court, Sharma's legal battles extend beyond this case.
He is also implicated in the killing of businessman Mansukh Hiran, linked to the recovery of gelatin sticks near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence in 2021. The Supreme Court has granted Sharma bail in this matter.
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