2 more Gurgaon cops arrested for Sandeep Gadoli encounter

SANDEEP GADOLI WAS KILLED AT A MUMBAI HOTEL ON FEBRUARY 7. A GURGAON SUBINSPECTOR WAS HELD IN THE CASE ON JULY 5

MUMBAI: The Special Investigation Team of the Mumbai Crime branch arrested two more Gurgaon police constables in the ‘encounter’ of gangster Sandeep Gadoli on Tuesday, taking the total arrest toll to three.

On July 5, the SIT arrested sub-inspector Pradyumna Yadav who led the team during the encounter.

Pradyumna, along with four other policemen, barged into the Hotel Airport Metro in Andheri (east) on February 7 and allegedly killed Gadoli.

Assistant commissioner of police Praful Bhosle confirmed the arrest and said: “Both the police constables were arrested from Mumbai. We will produce them in court on Wednesday”.

The arrested have been identified as Vikram Singh and Jitendra Yadav. Vikram and Jitendra entered the hotel along with Pradyumna on the day of the ‘encounter’. A police source said one of them even broke the CCTV in the hotel after killing Gadoli when they realized that the incident was recorded on camera.

Both were called in by the SIT for inquiry after their role in the investigation became clear. Following their statements, the SIT placed them under arrest on Tuesday evening, said a police officer on condition of anonymity.

Pradyumna is in police custody till July 16 and his interrogation is underway.

An official said he made several revelations during the inquiry and that the investigating teams are verifying it.

The SIT is likely to summon an assistant police commissioner (ACP) of Gurgaon for questioning in connection with the case.

The ACP was constantly in touch with Pradyumna and Gadoli’s girlfriend Divya Pahuja. Pahuja was present in the hotel room at the time of encounter. She allegedly tipped off the Gurgaon police about Gadoli’s location.

The Gurgaon police team and other suspects planned to kill Gadoli and followed him from Gurgaon to Mumbai, the SIT investigation revealed. They created fake evidence to make it seem like an actual encounter, officials said.