Now or later, he had to pay for his sins: Lakhan Bhaiya’s brother on Pradeep Sharma’s arrest

Pradeep Sharma’s pets in his housing society during the NIA raid on Thursday. Pic/Sameer Markande

The arrest of former encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma in the Antilia bomb scare and Mansukh Hiran murder cases has brought in some sense of closure for the family of Lakhan Bhaiya, who was killed in a staged shooting in Versova in 2006. While Sharma was acquitted, 13 policemen were given life imprisonment. Lakhan Bhaiya's brother advocate Ramprasad Gupta said Sharma had to pay for his "sins" sooner or later. Gupta is equally concerned about the family of Anil Bheda, a witness in his brother's murder.

Gupta is equally concerned about the family of Anil Bheda, a witness in his brother's murder. "I just hope officials also investigate the murder of Anil Bheda who too was killed by Sharma and gang. I hope Bheda's family too gets justice one day," Gupta told mid-day.

In November 2006, alleged gangster Lakhan Bhaiya, believed to be a close aide of underworld don Chhota Rajan, was killed in what the police claimed to be an encounter.

Ramprasad Gupta, Lakhan Bhaiya's brother

Seventeen policemen, including Sharma and Pradeep Suryawanshi, were accused in the case and arrested along with two civilians. Gupta then filed a petition in the Bombay High Court, alleging that his brother had been shot dead in cold blood.

In the Lakhan Bhaiya case, an SIT was formed. Based on Bheda's statement, all the accused, mostly policemen, were arrested.

Anil Bheda, a close friend of Lakhan Bhaiya, started receiving threat calls and went missing on March 13, 2011. His body was found in Manor a few days later.
Gupta said, "When Sharma was in Jail, he with the help of his close aide Sachin Waze murdered Bheda and destroyed the evidence. As Bheda was murdered, chances of relief to Sharma increased. And the same actually happened and Sharma was released from jail."

He said Bheda's wife Aruna has filed a petition in the HC for investigation. "The state CID was conducting a probe. Aruna was afraid as she feared for her life and her son. The CID did not investigate the matter properly and there is no outcome till today. In fact, they never took the statements of beneficiaries like Sharma and Waze."

Gupta added, "In my brother's encounter, at least policemen were arrested. But in Bheda's case, no inquiry has started till date. Now that the NIA has arrested Sharma and Waze, we hope it will investigate Bheda's murder and the culprits will be punished. Now or later, Sharma has to pay for his sins."

2006
Year when Lakhan Bhaiya was killed in a fake encounter

2011
When Anil Bheda's body was found in Manor