Pradeep Sharma is a former officer in the police force of Mumbai, India. Sharma attained notability as an "encounter specialist" with the Mumbai Encounter Squad and was involved with the deaths of as many as 312 criminals. On 31 August 2008 he was dismissed from the Mumbai police on charges of corruption but was reinstated on 16 August 2017 after he was proven innocent of those charges. Pradeep Sharma resigned from Mumbai police in July 2019 after a 35 year long career. Sharma officially joined the ruling Shiv Sena in Maharashtra on September 13th, 2019 and will be contesting in the maharashtra state assembly elections.
Biography and career
Pradeep Sharma's family was originally from Agra in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh before moving to the state of Maharashtra. His father was a professor of English in a degree college in the town of Dhule. Pradeep Sharma was born in Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and completed his education from primary to MSc in Dhule, Maharashtra. He joined the State Police Service in 1983 as a sub-inspector. He was first posted to the Mahim police station in Mumbai and was moved to the special branch in Juhu, Mumbai. Rising through the ranks, he went on to head the police stations in other suburbs of Mumbai, and became a senior Inspector in the crime intelligence unit of the Mumbai police. His career spanned 25 years, during which he earned fame for the successful "encounter killings" of as many as 312 criminals, including notorious crime bosses and terrorists belonging to the Lashkar-e-Taiba. He was one of the most famous officers of the Mumbai Encounter Squad. Sharma arrested Iqbal Kaskar; brother of Global Terrorist Dawood Ibrahim in Mumbai on the charges of extortion.
Dismissal and Subsequent Reinstatement
On 31 August 2008 the Maharashtra government dismissed Pradeep Sharma for involvement and contacts with criminals. Police obtained telephonic interceptions of Sharma's conversations with criminals and about criminal activities while the Intelligence Bureau provided intelligence implicating Sharma in the activities of the Dawood Ibrahim gang. However, Sharma is amongst several officers of the encounter squad facing official inquiries. Sharma professed his innocence, described his dismissal as wrongful and accused the Chhota Rajan gang of framing him. Police and media sources speculate that Sharma may be targeted by the Chhota Rajan gang, and hence he has been granted police protection round-the-clock; although dismissed officers are not entitled to police protection. Several media sources have nicknamed him "Bombay's Dirty Harry." However, on 7 May 2009, Sharma was reinstated to the Mumbai city force of the Maharashtra Police after a state justice tribunal set up to study the allegations rejected the corruption charges against him and ordered his instant reinstatement. After getting reinstate at Mumbai Police Headquarter, Sharma transferred to Thane Police Commissioner office on 23 August.
Acquittal in encounter case
In that case On 5 July 2013, a Mumbai court acquitted Pradeep Sharma of all the charges in the 2006 Lakhan Bhaiyya encounter case.
