Nalasopara fake encounter: HC-appointed SIT nabs 2 constables in connection with case

Body of Govind Rana with both the Crime Branch sleuths in one frame

Slain criminal Joginder Rana's brother Surendra has accused police of criminal intimidation, implicating him in a fake murder attempt case, and sending goons to his door over five years, in an effort to get him to withdraw the criminal writ petition he had filed seeking justice in the 2018 encounter. "I was harassed by cops," said Surendra after two Crime Branch cops Mangesh Chavan and Manoj Sakpal were arrested by the SIT.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) sprang into action and arrested the two constables only after being criticised by the Bombay High Court on Friday.

Slain criminal Joginder Rana's brother Surendra Rana; Joginder Rana alias Govind; Head constable Mangesh Chavan, Police Naik Manoj Sakpal

"This is just the beginning; they were the small fries; big fishes are still roaming scot-free…but I'm thankful to the SIT who made headway, unlike state CID," said Surendra.

"My brother was killed in broad daylight in the presence of hundreds of people on a busy road in Nalasopara. The then superintendent of Palghar police, Manjunath Singe, ordered to file a fake attempt to murder case against my brother. It was all done to safeguard Local Crime Branch Unit - 2,"
he added.

Crime Branch officer Chavan tied his shoelace by resting his foot on a tempo's tyre next to the body

After the alleged fake encounter, Singe told media persons that Joginder stabbed Constable Mangesh in his stomach and injured Constable Manoj. "In the preliminary investigation, we have learned that Mangesh fired two bullets in self-defence, killing Joginder," Singe told the media minutes after the alleged staged encounter.

But Surendra said, "What preliminary investigation Singe was talking about? My brother was not even carrying the knife. It was all planted near the crime spot where both the rogue crime branch officers are seen talking over the phone having no injuries. One of them is seen tying his shoelace."

No blood stains were spotted on the knife which is alleged to be planted by the Crime Branch. Pics/Hanif Patel

"The knife, which was found at the murder spot, was not even blood-stained. This was also observed by the Bombay High Court. The wounds on the bodies of Chavan and Sakpal were self-inflicted at a hospital in Nalasopara," he added.

Rana further accused Singe of protecting the ‘criminals in khaki', who reportedly pre-planned to kill Joginder, was externed by Mumbai police over a decade ago.
"How can a senior officer do so? Why has no action been taken against Singe and other Crime Branch sleuths from local Crime Branch Unit 2 who were all hand-in-gloves to protect Chavan and Sakpal?" Surendra questioned.

When asked if the knife was blood-stained at the crime site, Singe said, "I am not able to recollect the details. It is an old case." There were at least 50 cases registered against Joginder at various police stations. "Even if my brother was a criminal, the cops had no right to eliminate him," said Surendra.

‘Tactics to withdraw petition'

Surendra alleged that the Local Crime Branch officials were shaken after he started to send complaint letters to all the higher-ups at the DGP office and Mantralaya to seek justice. He accused Crime Branch officials of sending 19 goons at his doorstep, following which he filed a case at Tulinj police station on August 25, 2018.

Surendra further alleged that Chavan and Sakpal were never transferred from the Nalasopara area. "Even after Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar police commissionerate was formed, these two constables were never transferred despite I filed a writ petition. They are very powerful policemen who are being protected by their higher-ups," he alleged.

"Last year, I was falsely implicated in an attempt to murder case registered," said Surendra, who approached the court to get his name removed from the attempt to murder case.

"The victim in his statement said that I did not assault him… So, my name was removed," he added.

‘Bike misplaced by cops'

It was Gudi Padwa festival on July 23, 2018, when Joginder was killed in an alleged fake encounter. According to his brother, he was getting his bike's engine oil changed at a mechanic on Tulinj Road. "Both the cops Chavan and Sakpal reached there and started demanding money from my brother, who was standing with his friend Sachin Nair. After my brother said he can't give him money, Chavan had a heated argument with my brother and later they indulged in a fisticuff," said Surendra.

"Upset with this the police started chasing my brother. After chasing Joginder for nearly 300 metres, Chavan fired the first bullet puncturing his back…when he fell, Chavan shot him in the chest from a close range. This all happened at 2.30 pm when hundreds of people were witnesses," he added.

"The cops also told the shopkeepers to format the CCTV cameras installed in the nearby vicinity," he added.

"But the SIT retrieved the dumb data, identified nearly three dozen people, and called them to record their statement as witnesses in the case," he added.

"After my brother was killed, the cops conducted a panchnama, made entry of my brother's bike which is now missing. I searched everywhere, but it's not found yet. So, finally, I had to file an FIR in this connection, but it is yet to be found. It was evidence in the fake encounter case…but the cops destroyed it," he added.

Surendra further added that the state CID was immediately handed over the case to probe into the matter, but the investigating team kept on investigating the false attempt to murder case filed against his brother.

2.30pm
Time of encounter in 2018