Mumbai: A key witness in the alleged fake
encounter of a suspected Chotta Rajan aide, in which 22
persons including suspended `encounter` specialist Pradeep
Sharma were held, on Sunday went missing from Vashi here, police
said.
"Anil Dheda, a prime witness in the killing of Ram
Narayan Gupta is missing since morning. His wife Aruna lodged
a missing person complaint in the police station," said Sanjay
Surve, Inspector at Vashi Police Station said to a news agency.
Gupta was allegedly killed by the police on November 11,
2006 in suburban Versova on suspicion that he was a member of
the Chotta Rajan gang. His brother, advocate Ram Prasad Gupta,
had on November 15, 2006 moved a petition in the Bombay High
Court alleging that he was murdered by police in a fake
encounter.
The High Court, in February 2008, had ordered a
magisterial inquiry into the encounter. The Magistrate, in his
report in August 2009, concluded that Gupta was killed in cold
blood.
Later, the High Court formed a Special Investigation
Team (SIT) to probe the case.
The SIT last year arrested Inspector Pradeep Sharma and
Senior Inspector Pradeep Suryawanshi, among others. While one
accused was granted bail, the rest are lodged in Mumbai`s
Arthur Road jail and in Thane Central Jail.
PTI
