Sandeep Gadoli encounter: Gurgaon Sub-inspector arrested

Gurgaon, Jul 6: A sub-inspector of Gurgaon police was arrested here by a Special Investigation Team of Mumbai police in connection with the alleged fake encounter of suspected gangster Sandeep Gadoli in Andheri, police said.

Pradhuman Yadav, Sub-Inspector of Gurgaon Police, was arrested in a raid conducted at his house last night at Old Gurgaon, Sanjay Saxena, Joint Commissioner of Mumbai Police, Crime Branch said, adding, more people are likely to be apprehended.

Two Special Investigation Teams (SIT) of Mumbai police Crime Branch, camping in two hotels at Mahipalpur and old Gurgaon in Rajokari area from March 27, were monitoring the activities of Yadav, who was changing his location to escape arrest, Saxena said.

Acting on a tip-off that Yadav was hiding in a house in Old Gurgaon, the teams raided the premised and arrested him.

"We have arrested him on charges of murder, attempt to murder, Arms Act, criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence," the Joint Commissioner of Mumbai police said.

A team headed by Praful Bhonsle, ACP-Crime Branch, Mumbai police accused the Gurgaon police personnel of evading probe and not submitting blood samples of the accused policemen despite repeated reminders. Meanwhile, Gurgaon police claimed it has no information about Yadav's arrest.

"We do not know that our sub-inspector has been arrested by Mumbai police. They did not approach or inform us. We are looking into the matter," Hawa Singh, PRO, Gurgaon police said.

Earlier, Gurgaon Police had assured Mumbai Police of extending all possible support during the course of investigation. Pradhuman Yadav, sub-Inspector in Gurgaon crime branch was leading a team of five policemen that gunned down alleged gangster Sandeep Gadoli on February 7, inside Hotel Airport Metro in Andheri.

The team led by Yadav claimed that Gadoli, an alleged gangster from Haryana, was shot in retaliation after he fired at them to avoid arrest. His relatives alleged that it was a fake encounter and filed a police complaint. Interrogation is on in the case to ascertain the sequence of events, Saxena said, adding, more arrests are likely to be made in the case.

PTI