Bombay HC sentences lifer to former Mumbai cop convicted in fake encounter case after 18 years

A ballistic expert’s compelling evidence led to the conviction of ex-Mumbai police officer Pradeep Sharma for his involvement in an illegal squad responsible for the fake encounter killing of Ramnarayan Gupta.

The Bombay High Court sentenced Sharma to life imprisonment, marking the first instance of a police officer being convicted in an encounter case in Maharashtra.

The court emphasised that the prosecution had convincingly demonstrated that Ramnarayan was unlawfully killed by “trigger-happy cops”, disguising the fake encounter as a genuine one. Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Gauri Godse overturned Sharma’s 2013 acquittal, underscoring the overwhelming evidence against him.

“The prosecution on its own steam and merit has also proved that Ramnarayan was killed by police, by trigger-happy cops… It is crystal clear that a fake encounter was given the colour of a genuine one,” said the court in its verdict in the case.

Ramnarayan and his friend were abducted, and Ramnarayan was fatally shot before the encounter was staged to appear legitimate. The court condemned the actions of law enforcement officers acting as criminals in uniform, warning against the consequences of such behaviour. “The guardians of law cannot be permitted to act as criminals in uniform. If this is permitted, it would lead to anarchy.”

While 12 police officers were upheld in their convictions, six civilians were acquitted. Despite the defence’s attempts to discredit the forensic evidence linking Sharma to the crime, the high court affirmed its credibility, dismissing claims of a genuine police encounter.

Advocate Ramprasad, Ramnarayan’s brother, expressed relief at the long-awaited verdict, emphasising that justice may be delayed but not denied. “Finally justice has prevailed. By using muscle and money power one can delay justice but cannot deny it,” Ramnarayan’s brother as quoted by The Times of India.

The case against the 22 accused involved charges of abduction, murder, and criminal conspiracy. It happened on Nov 11, 2006, when Ramnarayan (33) and his friend Anil Bheda were abducted from Vashi by the police, five bullets were pumped into the former and the alleged encounter was shown to occur at a park in Versova, Andheri (W), a special investigation team said.