Additional Sessions Judge Prashant Kale ruled that the accused were not guilty of charges under Section 302 (murder) and other provisions of the Indian Penal Code. The detailed order is yet to be made publicly available
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A Mumbai court on Friday acquitted seven accused, including five Haryana police personnel, in the alleged fake encounter of gangster Sandeep Gadoli in 2016, reported news agency PTI.
Additional Sessions Judge Prashant Kale ruled that the accused were not guilty of charges under Section 302 (murder) and other provisions of the Indian Penal Code. The detailed order is yet to be made publicly available, reported PTI.
Encounter Took Place at Andheri Hotel in 2016
Gadoli was killed on February 7, 2016, in what was initially described as a police shootout at a hotel in Andheri East. He was a wanted criminal, facing more than 40 cases since 1999, and carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head, reported PTI.
However, the incident later came under scrutiny, with allegations emerging that the encounter was staged.
Prosecution Alleged Planned Conspiracy
Investigators had arrested eight individuals in connection with the case, including five police personnel, Gadoli’s associate Divya Pahuja, her mother, and rival gang leader Virendra Gujjar, reported PTI.
The prosecution alleged that Gadoli had been lured to the hotel through Pahuja and was subsequently killed in a pre-planned operation. It claimed that Gujjar, who had a long-standing rivalry with Gadoli, conspired with the police officials to eliminate him.
The accused police personnel included Pradyuman Yadav, Vikram Singh, Jitendra Yadav, Deepak Kakran, and Paramjeet Ahlawat, reported PTI.
Evidence Presented but Court Finds No Proof
During the trial, the prosecution relied on testimonies from 43 witnesses along with technical evidence such as CCTV footage, call records, and ballistic reports to establish a conspiracy.
It argued that the accused used illegal firearms and fabricated evidence to justify the encounter.
Despite these submissions, the court found insufficient evidence to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt and acquitted all the accused.
Case Against Key Accused Abated Earlier
The case against Divya Pahuja had already been abated following her death in 2024. She was murdered at a hotel in Haryana while out on bail in connection with the Gadoli case, reported PTI.
This development had earlier impacted the proceedings, as she was considered a key link in the alleged conspiracy.
Defence Claims Case Was Motivated
Defence counsel, including advocates Vilas Naik and Vignesh Iyer, argued that the allegations against the accused were false and driven by pressure from Gadoli’s family.
They maintained that members of the gangster’s family themselves faced serious criminal charges, including extortion and murder, and had influenced the case.
With the acquittal, the long-running case has reached a significant legal conclusion, bringing closure to a matter that had remained under judicial scrutiny for nearly a decade.
(With inputs from PTI)
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