Mumbai: The sessions court on Friday acquitted all the accused including cops from Gurugram police, local politician books for their alleged role in Gurgaon gangster Sandeep Gadoli's encounter case.
Gadoli Killed in Mumbai Encounter in 2016
Gadoli was killed in an encounter by the Gurugram Police in Mumbai's Airport Metro hotel on February 7, 2016. The seven accused who faced trial are - Pradyuman Yadav, Vikram Singh, Jitendra Yadav, Divya Pahuja, Soniya Pahuja, Deepak Kakran, Paramjeet Bhupsingh Ahlawat and Virendrakumar alias Bindar Gujjar. Amongst this, Pradyuman, Vikram, Jitendra, Deepak, Ahlawat were all officers of Gurugram police.
The Gurugram Police had claimed that they opened fire only in retaliation as against firing by Gadoli. However, the special investigating team which was set up to probe it claimed that it was a fake encounter.
Mumbai police had filed a case against eight accused including Gadoli’s girlfriend Divya Pahuja, her mother and other cops involved in the encounter. Divya was murdered in January 2024 and the trial against her was abated.
Divya Pahuja’s Role in the Encounter
It is claimed that Divya was introduced to Gadoli through his partner Pratip Ahuja. Thereafter the two had started staying togather. It claimed that in February 2016, Pratip and his friends were planning to go to Goa. Gadoli and Divya too decided to join them. While others went by flight Divya and Gadoli went by road and on the way stayed back in a hotel in Andheri.
The SIT, which was set up to probe the encounter had claimed that Divya, who was in the room at the time of the incident. It is claimed that officer of Gurgaon police were tracing Gadoli, and Divya who was traveling with him was in constant touch with them through her mother Soniya.
It was claimed that Gadoli, Divya along with others were heading towards Goa for holidays from Bhiwandi, Rajasthan. Pradyuman on the basis of a tip of attempted to apprehend Gadoli at Bhiwandi but missed him. Thereafter the team of officers said to have followed him till Mumbai.
Politician Allegedly Conspired Over Old Rivalry
The investigation revealed that Virendrakumar alias Bindar Gujjar, a local politician, is alleged to have conspired the encounter over old rivalry. It is alleged that Gadoli had supported, Manish Khurana, who contested election against Gujjar in 2012-13 and won. After this, there had been a rivalry between Gujjar and Gadoli. Further, in 2015, Gujjat's driver was murdered and Gadoli was booked for it. On the day of incident, Gujjar was in touch through phone with one of the policemen who was part of the encounter.
The prosecution has heavily relied on the call data records and communication exchanged between the cops, Divya, Soniyavand Gujjar.
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