Mumbai: Following an application by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) alleging that Pradeep Sharma, accused in the bomb scare incident in industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence-businessman Mansukh Hiren’s murder case, is overstaying at Sasoon Hospital and avoiding medical checks by doctors, a special court conducting the case has directed the dean of the hospital to form a committee to examine the ex-encounter specialist.
Mr Sharma had been admitted to Pune’s Sasoon Hospital for several months with complaints of chest pain and blood pressure-related ailments. He was transferred from Taloja jail where he was lodged earlier to Pune’s Yerawada jail for security reasons. The agency had sought a comprehensive medical report from Yerwada jail authorities as reportedly the hospital had been recommending his discharge for many months.
The NIA’s prosecutor on Thursday during a hearing on the plea said it wants to find out the truth and nature of his ailments through examination by doctors of the board. Persuading the court, the prosecutor asked what could be the harm in it.
The court had earlier asked Mr Sharma to respond to the agency’s plea. The NIA said as an accused, Mr Sharma has no locus standi to be heard on such a plea.
Appearing for Mr Sharma, his advocates Subhash Jadhav and Abad Ponda argued that there are no provisions under the law to constitute a board and said the report of the dean could be called for and further decision taken.
Sharma had taken an early retirement from police service and was arrested in July 2021 in the case. The NIA alleges he had hired henchmen for the murder of Hiran for which he received a huge sum from the main accused Sachin Vaze and had also attended several meetings for the same in the police commissioner’s office. He is also said to have arranged the henchmen, who are now his co-accused, to flee to Nepal after the murder.
