Harendra Pradhan murder case: Twelve gang members, including Sunder Bhati, get life

Noida: Twelve convicts including dreaded criminal Sunder Bhati have been sentenced life imprisonment by district and session court in Gautam Buddh Nagar in connection with the murder case of Harendra Pradhan who was killed by Bhati and his gang members in 2015.

Harendra Pradhan (35) and his gunner Bhoodev Sharma, were shot dead at a marriage function on February 8, 2015 in Niyana village in Greater Noida by armed assailants. They had visited a neighbouring village to attend the marriage ceremony of his friend Prakash Bhati's daughter in Site V police station area.

His security guard Sharma was accompanying him. When they were about to get into a car the criminals opened indiscriminate firing in them in which Pradhan and Sharma, were shot multiple bullets and were killed. Sharma also opened fire in self defence and killed one suspects later identified as Jatan Khatri, a sharpshooter of Bhati gang.

As per Brhamjeet Bhati, district government counsel (DGC criminal) Gautam Budh Nagar, Bhati and his accomplices were undergoing trial in the court of Dr Anil Kumar Singh, additional district judge, Surajpur. "Sunder Bhati and his 11 accomplices have been convicted while one other accused, Manoj, has been acquitted for want of evidence," the DGC said.

A relative of deceased Harendra Pradhan who had been pursuing the case said that it is the first case in which Sunder Bhati has been convicted.