Mumbai : The recent encounter at Nalasopara in which a gangster, Joginder Rana, was killed, was fake, his brother and family have alleged. The Ranas have filed a petition in the Bombay High Court, through advocate Datta Mane, demanding an inquiry under the CBI or Special Investigation Team (SIT).
Rana was known to be a notorious criminal and had 37 cases against him. These include thefts and dacoity and he had also served jail terms.
Joginder alias Gopal Rana was killed in an encounter in Radha Nagar, Nalasopara East on July 20.
This ‘encounter’ was fake, allege his family members. Sonu, Joginder’s brother, has said in his petition, “It was a planned encounter by the police to finish Joginder.” He has further asked in his prayer that the court should direct the police to pin the crime on Manoj Sakpal and Mangesh Chavan, ‘the two masterminds of this alleged murder’ and has demanded an examination of the call records (CDR) and mobile locations of their senior police officials, who called for this encounter.
“We want a CBI or SIT inquiry of this entire episode,” Sonu’s plea saild. Questioning the entire incident, he says, police said Joginder had attacked a constable with a knife. “If he had actually attacked a constable, why is there no trace of blood on this knife?” Sonu has asked.
Police claim constable Sakpal was badly injured and admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Sonu has, however, slammed these claims, saying the photograph of the incident shows Sakpal bending over to tie his shoelaces. Sonu has also claimed he has video evidence which shows Sakpal and Chavan carrying Rana’s body in an autorickshaw.
The petition further alleges the police pressurised the shopkeepers in the area where the alleged encounter took place to delete this evidence on CCTV cameras. Sonu says, “My brother had quit the world of crime and he was working as a driver.” He accused police of deliberately killing his brother.
“Police demanded money from Joginder and when he refused, they killed him,” alleged Sonu. .