Gangster Kaushal files petition demanding protection from fake encounter

Gangster Kaushal on Thursday filed a petition in a local court, seeking protection from his rivals as well as officers of Gurugram Police, alleging the possibility of a fake encounter

Gangster Kaushal on Thursday filed a petition in a local court, seeking protection from his rivals as well as officers of Gurugram Police, alleging the possibility of a fake encounter. In his application to the court, he stated that Gurugram Police should not be allowed to transport him from Hisar Jail — where he has been lodged since December 2019 — to the Gurugram court and back. Further, the court should appoint a police team from another district to accompany him.

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The special task force of the Haryana Police had arrested Kaushal from the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport on August 26, 2019, when he had allegedly arrived from Dubai. Kaushal has more than 200 cases of murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, extortion, and life threats registered against him in Haryana.

KK Rao, commissioner of police, said criminal activities have been reduced in the city after the arrest of Kaushal. Rao said the police followed the due process of law while arresting him and presented him before the court, rejecting Kaushal’s contention that the Gurugram Police was planning an encounter to kill him. “More than 20 close aides of Kaushal are lodged inside Bhondsi Jail and are in touch with him. He is still running an extortion racket from the jail. We are monitoring their communication and movement of his gang members to ensure they do not target any anyone. Safety of Kaushal is also our concern,” he said.

Kaushal also cited that the rivals of gangster Sandeep Gadoli and the Gurugram Police had planned his encounter in Mumbai.

In the two-page petition filed in the local court, Kaushal also stated that his associates lodged in Bhondsi Jail has informed his family members that rival gang members are hatching plan to kill him with the help of the police.

Rahul Chauhan, Kaushal’s counsel said he has been lodged in jail since August 2019 and has no role to play in any of extortion cases. “Kaushal’s life is under threat. Binder Gujjar, who is his biggest rival, has been lodged in Bhondsi Jail for the fake encounter of Gadoli. We need special security so that he is not killed in police custody,” he said.

Kaushal was lodged in Bhondsi Jail after his arrest but was moved to Hisar Jail in November 2019. He had filed a petition in the district and sessions court in December 2019 to transfer him back to Bhondsi Jail but the court had dismissed the jail transfer application, citing that “societal peace” took priority over “individual convenience” in his case.

The court had directed jail authorities and superintendent of police in Hisar to make appropriate arrangements for the safe transportation of Kaushal from Hisar Jail to Gurugram courts and way back. Kaushal was lodged in Bhondsi Jail after his arrest but was moved to Hisar Jail in December 2019.

The police said he used to run his operations from Dubai and was involved in the murder of Congress leader Vikas Chaudhary, who was shot dead by the gang members of Kaushal on his direction in June 2019, following his refusal to pay protection money.