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Mumbai cops probing role of Gadoli’s girlfriend

The Mumbai police is believed to be questioning the 20-year-old woman, who was gangster Sandeep Gadoli’s live-in partner. She was with Gadoli when he was killed

Updated on: Feb 10, 2016, 12:05:37 IST
Hindustan Times | By , Gurgaon
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The Mumbai police is believed to be questioning the 20-year-old woman, who was gangster Sandeep Gadoli’s live-in partner. She was with Gadoli when he was killed in an encounter in Mumbai on Sunday.

The hotel in Andheri in Mumbai where the encounter took place on Sunday. Gadoli’s girlfriend had given away their location when she updated her status message after reaching the hotel with him. (File Photo)
The hotel in Andheri in Mumbai where the encounter took place on Sunday. Gadoli’s girlfriend had given away their location when she updated her status message after reaching the hotel with him. (File Photo)

The police is investigating the role played by the woman ahead of the encounter and her involvement with Gadoli’s gang, officials said.

According to the police, Gadoli never used a mobile phone while on the run but allowed his girlfriend to constantly call her friends and make updates on social networking sites. She also uploaded her pictures from different cities where she went with the gangster, who kept moving from one city to another to escape the police.

Gadoli’s aide Praveen Kumar said the woman had a pleasing personality and was very outgoing. Gadoli was impressed that she was brave and was never scared to be with him despite knowing that there were threats to his life. She had won the confidence of the gangster with her conduct, which ensured that police and other security agencies did not get suspicious, Praveen Kumar said.

The woman worked as a guest relations officer at a five-star hotel in Gurgaon for several months last year. She left the job after Gadoli offered her the option to launch a company.

Since last October, she started spending more time with Gadoli and stayed with him at his Chhattarpur farmhouse. However, her family was unaware of her involvement with the gangster.

She wanted to return to Gurgaon before February 13 and had planned a Valentine ’s Day party with her friends, the police said.

“The woman tried to change Sandeep’s appearance. He had started wearing clothes of her choice and was spending a huge amount on her since they met,” Jyotsana Gulia, Gadoli’s sister-in-law, said.

The woman, who was an aspiring public relations consultant, wanted to start a firm with the help of Gadoli and was looking for a place to set up the office. They planned to inaugurate the new office on her birthday in July, an aide of Gadoli’s said.

  • Leena Dhankhar
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Leena Dhankhar

    Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More