Mumbai, Jul 13: Twenty one people, including 13 policemen, were sentenced to life imprisonment by a sessions court on Friday in connection with the 2006 fake encounter killing of Ram Narayan Gupta alias Lakhan Bhaiya, an alleged aide of fugitive gangster Chhota Rajan.
The court had held 21 people guilty, while former encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma, who is credited with gunning down over 100 criminals, had been acquitted.
Sessions judge VD Jadhvar sentenced all the accused to life imprisonment under various charges including murder, kidnapping and destruction of evidence. The court also imposed fine on them.
As soon as the court hearing started, the judge said that accused No. 1 (Sharma) is acquitted of all charges and shall be released forthwith if he is not wanted in any other case. The court later began pronouncing the sentence.
Senior inspector of police Pradeep Suryavanshi, who led the encounter team, was awarded life imprisonment on five different counts.
Immediately after pronouncing the sentence, special public prosecutor Vidya Kasle told the court that some strict conditions should be imposed on Sharma.
"As per the Bombay high court, the trial court has power to impose strict conditions on the acquitted person till the end of the appeal period," she said.
Kasle also told the court that the prosecution intends to file an appeal in the Bombay high court to challenge the acquittal. She also told the court that Sharma should not be allowed to leave the country and his passport should be impounded.
At this, Sharma's advocate informed the court that the former's passport has expired and said that they did not have any objection to the rest of the conditions.
The court later passed an order that Sharma will not leave the country without the permission of the court and he should furnish all the details regarding his passport with the prosecuting agency. The court also directed Sharma to file a bail bond of Rs 10,000.
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