Take Pradeep Sharma into custody: NIA court to Yerwada Jail

The special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court had last week asked the dean of BJ Medical College and Sassoon Hospital, Pune, to constitute a board to examine former encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma and submit a comprehensive report on his health status in 10 days

Mumbai: A special NIA court on Friday directed the Yerwada jail to take former encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma in custody and shift him back to the prison after Sassoon General Hospital stated that he was stable.

Mumbai, India - October 1, 2019: Pradeep Sharma Shiv Sena MLA candidates during interview at Shiv Sena Office, Nallasopara in Mumbai, India, on Tuesday, October 1, 2019. (Photo by Pramod Thakur/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

A team of doctors from Sassoon Hospital had on Thursday submitted a report about Sharma’s health to the NIA.

According to the said report, the experts opined that Sharma was stable and can be discharged from the hospital where he was admitted for months.

On receipt of the report The NIA on Friday moved a plea before the special NIA court pleading that Sharma be shifted back to prison in wake of the report of the committee of experts of Sassoon hospital.

The special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court had last week asked the dean of BJ Medical College and Sassoon Hospital, Pune, to constitute a board to examine former encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma and submit a comprehensive report on his health status in 10 days.

The order came on a plea filed by the NIA, seeking the constitution of the board for the retired police officer’s examination, as he has been admitted to the hospital for several months.

The federal agency claimed that Sharma was fit and has been misusing the hospital facility under the guise of ailments. Besides, a letter was also received by the court from a man, who claimed to be a former police official, informing that Sharma was fit and did not require hospitalisation.

Sharma was arrested for his alleged involvement in the murder of Thane trader Mansukh Hiran – the owner of the explosive-laden SUV which was found abandoned near Antilia – the South Mumbai residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani.

In its charge sheet, NIA claimed that the prime accused in the case – dismissed Mumbai police officer Sachin Waze – paid “a huge amount in cash” to Sharma. Waze had allegedly taken Hiran’s SUV, planted 20 loose gelatin sticks in it and parked the vehicle outside Antilia.

NIA further claimed that Waze had on March 3, 2021 – a day before Hiran’s murder – allegedly met Sharma outside the office of his charitable trust, Pradeep Sharma Foundation, in Andheri East, and handed over a rexine bag containing a large amount of cash (bundles of Indian currency notes of ₹500 denomination), the contract money to get Hiran eliminated.