Judge rejects bail plea in Gadoli fake encounter case

Mumbai: The sessions court on Thursday rejected the bail application of all eight accused in the Sandeep Gadoli fake encounter case. A team of Haryana police led by sub-inspector Pradhyuman Yadav had killed Gadoli in an encounter last year at hotel Airport Metro. Sessions judge A.J. Patangankar rejected the bail plea, including that of PSI Yadav and Gadoli’s girlfriend Divya Pahuja.

The accused, who are behind bars since 2016, had approached the court saying that the investigation was over and the charge sheet had already been filed and hence, there was no question of tampering with evidence or influencing the investigation such that they would be granted bail. They also claimed that they had been falsely implicated in the case and they were just doing their duty.

Advocate Tanveer Nizam appearing for Gadoli’s family as intervener opposed the bail plea alleging that the applicants had suppressed vital facts from the court like a magisterial inquiry under section 176 (1A) going on against the accused. He claimed that there was a Supreme Court guideline that the accused should not be granted bail in such circumstances as they may tamper with the inquiry.

Advocate Nizam further argued that this was not a case limited to fake encounter but was allegedly a case of contract killing by men in uniform. He quoted an apex court order saying, “When men in uniform commit murder, it is a heinous crime”. He pointed out that Gadoli’s family had written several letters to Gurgaon police headquarters that there was a threat to Gadoli’s life and he could be bumped off in a fake encounter but no action was taken.

Judge Patangankar while accepting the arguments opposing bail rejected all bail applications.