Former encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma back to work. He was reinstated last month and today evening the Thane anti-extortion cell (AEC) arrested Iqbal Kaskar, younger brother of wanted fugitive criminal Dawood Ibrahim. The case has been registered at Kasarvadavali police station in Thane. Along with Kaskar, two others have been detained.
Kaskar was arrested on a complaint filed by a builder. The builder has alleged that Kaskar had already taken four flats from him and has been demanding more flats, said the sources.
Acting on the complaint, a team headed by Sharma raided Gordon Hall apartment in Nagpada in South Mumbai. Kaskar shifted to the apartment belonging to his slain sister, Haseena Parkar after the recent Bhendi Bazar building collapse. Kaskar used to stay in neighbouring Damarwala building and vacated the building hours after the collapse.
Sharma who has 113 encounters to his credit was dismissed in August 2008 for his alleged links with the underworld. His dismissal was in accordance to the provisions of Article 311 of the Constitution which allows summary dismal without an inquiry.
Sharma who has inspired Bollywood movies like Ab Tak Chhappan challenged his dismissal before the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal (MAT) which ruled in his favour in 2009. The State Government had challenged the order in the Bombay High Court. In 2010, Sharma was arrested by the Special Investigation Team ( SIT) probing the alleged fake encounter of criminal Lakhan Bhaiyya. However in 2013, the trial court acquitted him for want of evidence.
