Mumbai: HC restores interim protection to lawyer in encounter case of alleged Chhota Rajan aide Lakhan Bhaiya. representative image
Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has directed the competent authority to restore round-the-clock police protection to lawyer Ramprasad Gupta, brother of Chhota Rajan’s alleged aide Ramnarayan Gupta alias Lakhan Bhaiya, who was killed in an encounter in 2006.
A division bench of Justices Ajay Gadkari and Prakash Naik said, “Considering the overall view of the case and the complex facts involved and as an interim relief, we direct the competent authority to provide round-the-clock police security, as 2011 to March 25, 2022 was being provided to the petitioner with immediate effect on the same terms and conditions as we had since 2011, i.e. at the cost of the State.
Encounter in suburban Versova
The High Court was hearing a petition filed by Mr Gupta through advocate Akshay Malviya, seeking reinstatement of police protection due to threat to his life. Mr. Malviya brought to the notice of the High Court that since March 25 last year, without any notice or hearing, the police security of Mr. Gupta was arbitrarily withdrawn.
On 11 November 2006, a police team picked up Lakhan Bhaiyya from neighboring Vashi along with his friend Anil Bheda, suspected to be members of the Rajan gang. According to the prosecution, Ramnarayan Gupta was killed in a fake encounter that evening near Nana Nani Park in suburban Versova in western Mumbai. Mr. Bheda was released after a month. In March 2011, Mr. Bheda was abducted and killed. His charred remains were found near the manor in rural Thane. Mr. Bheda’s murder remains unsolved. After Bheda’s murder, Mr. Gupta was immediately provided with police protection in March 2011. In 2014, a sessions court convicted 21 people, including 13 policemen, and sentenced them to life imprisonment for the murder of Ramnarayan Gupta.
Hearing of the case on February 9
Encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma was acquitted in the case. Mr. Gupta and the government filed an appeal in the High Court challenging Mr. Sharma’s acquittal. Those convicted have challenged their convictions. The appeal was admitted in September 2014 and is pending hearing. Meanwhile, the order to withdraw Mr. Gupta’s security has been passed by the CP on March 18, 2022. Despite his appeals, Gupta received no response from the police, so he filed a petition in court.
The High Court has posted the matter for further hearing on February 9.
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