Policemen charged in fake encounter case

A sessions court on Tuesday framed charges against 22 accused, including encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma and senior police inspector Pradeep Suryavanshi, in the fake encounter case of Chhota Rajan gang member Ramnarayan Gupta alias Lakhan Bhaiyya.

Principal judge ML Tahliyani framed charges which include murder, criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, rioting, possession of weapons and destruction of evidence among others.

All the accused then pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against them. The trial is likely to begin on March 16.
Lakhan Bhaiyya was killed at Versova on November 11, 2006, in a joint operation by officers from DN Nagar and Versova police stations.

On August 13, 2009, the high court formed a Special Investigating Team under the then Deputy Commissioner of Police KMM Prasanna to undertake investigation in the alleged fake encounter killing.