SC sets aside Bombay HC order of FIR against Haryana cops

The Supreme Court on Wednesday decided to set aside the Bombay High Court order for registration of an FIR against the Haryana cops for killing gangster Sandeep Gadoli in an alleged encounter in a Mumbai hotel. 

The Supreme Court had sent the matter back to the High Court for a fresh hearing and has asked them to include a version of the Haryana Police. 

The Supreme Court also noted that the Maharashtra Police had already registered an FIR and there was no need for a second FIR.

A Bench comprising Justices V Gopala Gowda and Arun Mishra observed that the Bombay high court had passed the order on a PIL filed by Kuldeep Singh, the gangster’s brother without hearing the Haryana Police.

The Supreme Court’s order was in response to the directive passed by the Bombay high court on Tuesday, following which the Mumbai Police had registered an FIR against eight officers of the Gurgaon Police crime branch, for allegedly killing Sandeep Gadoli. 

This order had come when the family of the gangster had alleged that their son was killed in a staged encounter. 

They also alleged that an ACP-rank officer of the Gurgaon crime team was a distant relative of Bijender Gujjar — Gadoli’s business rival at whose behest he was killed.

Justice Ranjit More and Justice VB Achaliya directed Mumbai Police Commissioner Datta Padsalgikar to constitute a Special Investigation Team to inquire into the allegations.

Gadoli’s family who have been campaigning in Mumbai against the encounter have refused to claim the gangster’s body and have said that until an FIR is registered against the Gurgaon Police for murder, they will not bring back the body.

One of the official from the encounter team said: “It is sad that we are being put through this test for eliminating a gangster who was not only involved in extortion but also killed many people. There is enough evidence against him. However, we will fully cooperate in the inquiry.”