When Pradeep Sharma set foot in Mumbai, the underworld was at its peak. Renowned criminals like Dawood Ibrahim, and Chhota Rajan were on the hit list of the police. By the time Pradeep Sharma was done, the Underworld’s vice grip on Mumbai had been loosened for good. He struck fear into the heart of every gangster in Mumbai. When Pradeep Sharma came after you, he wasn’t going to arrest you, he was going to shoot to kill you. The extra judicial killings, popularly known as “encounters” were key contributors to the decline of the Mumbai Underworld. In this post, we will find out more about Pradeep Sharma. Let’s get started.

Pradeep Sharma: All You Need To Know

Pradeep Sharma started focusing on the underworld as soon as he arrived. His first encounter was with two well known gangsters who had attacked him and his police force.

After this, his name started echoing in Mumbai. People felt that some messiah had come for them. However, in 2008, Pradeep Sharma was accused of being associated with the underworld. After this, he was suspended from the Mumbai Police, but after being acquitted by the court in 2009, he joined the Mumbai Police again. Pradeep Sharma has a record of more than 100 encounters, including three dreaded terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba.

How did Pradeep Sharma start his police career?

Encounter Specialist Pradeep Sharma joined the Mumbai Police in the year 1983 as a Sub Inspector. Sharma started his career at Mahim police station. After this, he was transferred to the Special Branch for a few years. Pradeep Sharma was also in charge of big police stations like Ghatkopar and Juhu Police Station. It is said that at that time every policeman was afraid of taking charge of the Ghatkopar police station, but after the arrival of Pradeep, the criminals avoided that area.

After taking charge of Ghatkopar police station, Pradeep Sharma started building his network. In this, he first met Arun Singh, a teacher at Jhunjhunwala College.

It is said that at that time Arun Singh used to keep exclusive news of the drug mafia. This was the reason that Pradeep Sharma contacted him. In the meeting with Pradeep Sharma, Arun Singh told the whole story of the drug mafia and started working for him as an informer. 

However, in 1991, Arun Singh was murdered by a goon of the Ashwin Nayak gang. After this, Arun Singh’s brother OP Singh came under Pradeep Sharma’s network. As his brother used to, OP Singh also used to give the complete news of the drug mafia to Pradeep.

Who are some of the most infamous gangsters killed by Pradeep Sharma?

Pradeep Sharma, who was posted as Senior Police Inspector in Crime Intelligence Unit, became famous as an encounter specialist for the first time by killing dangerous gangster Vinod Matkar.

Apart from Vinod Matkar, Pradeep Sharma did encounters of famous miscreants like Parvez Siddiqui, Rafiq Dabbawala, and Sadiq Kalia. 

After this, three terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba, who conspired to terrorize Mumbai, had an encounter. According to Pradeep Sharma, he has done more than 112 encounters in his 25 years of service.

Did Pradeep Sharma try to bomb Mukesh Ambani?

Who conspired the car with explosives found outside Mukesh Ambani’s house? Who was the mastermind of all this? How Mansukh Hiren, the owner of the vehicle in which the explosives were kept, was killed. These are all the questions in solving which the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the agency working towards stopping terrorist activities and ending terrorism in India, is engaged. The NIA has arrested former police officer and encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma in the Mansukh murder case. Pradeep Sharma is accused of being involved in a conspiracy to destroy evidence. He was produced in the court. Where the court sent him to NIA custody till 28 June. 

What was Pradeep Sharma’s role in the Antilia case?

It is being said that Pradeep Sharma is involved in the entire conspiracy of the Antilia case. All the SIM card transactions took place regarding the Mansukh murder. Apart from this, the person named Selar who was arrested four-five days ago was considered very close to Pradeep Sharma. If reports are to be believed, he has also been the informer of Pradeep Sharma. After his arrest, when the NIA strictly interrogated him, Selar told the NIA in a systematic way how the incident was carried out. On the basis of which a team of NIA reached Pradeep Sharma’s house at 6 am this morning and along with a continuous search operation there, he was taken into custody after going to the place where Pradeep Sharma was staying in Lonavala, Pune. 

Who is Pradeep Sharma?

Pradeep Sharma, a 1983 batch officer of the Nashik-based Maharashtra Police Academy, has many great deeds to his credit. Pradeep Sharma, who did 113 encounters, was suspended in 2008 for having disproportionate assets. After fighting the case in court, Pradeep Sharma won and he was acquitted. In the year 2010, Pradeep Sharma was arrested again. This arrest took place in 2006 due to the fake encounter of Lakhan Bhaiya. Pradeep Sharma was imprisoned for about three and a half years, in July 2013 Sharma was acquitted due to lack of evidence. After returning to the Maharashtra Police once again, Sharma arrested Dawood’s brother Iqbal Kaskar in an extortion case who is still in jail. 

What is Pradeep Sharma doing now?

In 2019, Pradeep Sharma took voluntary retirement after 35 years of police service. Pradeep Sharma joined the Shiv Sena and contested the assembly elections from the Nallasopara seat. Unfortunately, he lost to Kshitij Thakur.