Sunder Bhati, 11 others convicted in Harendra Pradhan murder case

Greater Noida: The district and sessions court at Surajpur on Thursday convicted Sunder Bhati and his 11 accomplices for the murder of 35-year-old Harendra Pradhan alias Harendra Nagar of Dadopur village, Dankaur, in 2015

Greater Noida: The district and sessions court at Surajpur on Thursday convicted Sunder Bhati and his 11 accomplices for the murder of 35-year-old Harendra Pradhan alias Harendra Nagar of Dadopur village, Dankaur, in 2015.

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Pradhan and his gunner, 46-year-old Bhoodev Sharma, were shot dead in a marriage function on February 8, 2015 in Niyana village in Greater Noida by armed assailants. One of the suspects, Manoj (identified by single name), has been acquitted for want of evidence. The quantum of punishment in this case will be delivered Friday.

Bhati and his accomplices were undergoing trial in the court of Dr Anil Kumar Singh, additional district judge, Surajpur. “The court has convicted 12 persons, including Sunder Bhati, while one suspect has been acquitted,” Brhamjeet Bhati, district government counsel (DGC criminal) Gautam Budh Nagar, said.

Pradhan was murdered while he was on a visit to a neighbouring village to attend the wedding of the daughter of his friend Prakash Bhati, at a venue located under the Site V police in Greater Noida. His security guard, Sharma, was accompanying him. When they were about to get into their car the criminals sprayed bullets on Pradhan and Sharma, killing both of them. Sharma also opened fire in self defence during which one of the assailants was killed, later identified as Jatan Khatri, an alleged sharpshooter of the Bhati gang.

The case had been pursued by Pradhan’s younger brother Ravindra Nagar. He had filed a complaint against Sunder Bhati and his gang members under Section 302 (murder), Section 147 (rioting), Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) at the Site V police station.

Ravindra’s advocate Lalit Mohan Gupta said that this is the first case in which Sunder Bhati has been convicted. “In several other cases in which he has been accused, Bhati was acquitted due to lack of evidence as witnesses did not testify against him due to fear. In this case, the court had strong evidence and they were convicted,” he said.

Police sources said that Sunder Bhati is presently lodged at the Sonbhadra district jail. Pradhan’s widow Bevan Nagar, on February 9, 2021, had filed a fresh complaint alleging Bhati gang members had been pressurising Ravindra to withdraw the complaint.