Mumbai: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday arrested former encounter specialist and Shiv Sena leader Pradeep Sharma in connection with the case of an explosives-laden SUV found near industrialist’s Mukesh Ambani residence and the death of businessman Mansukh Hiren.
A team of NIA reached the residence of Pradeep Sharma in Mumbai’s Andheri (east) area on Thursday morning and initiated a search operation. According to sources, Sharma was present inside his house when the officials were conducting searches.
Pradeep Sharma, known as an encounter specialist, was questioned twice earlier by NIA officials in connection with the case. He is known to be close to former Mumbai Police cop Sachin Vaze, who has been arrested by the central agency as the main conspirator in both cases.
Pradeep Sharma joined Mumbai Police as sub-inspector in 1983 and has been involved in over 300 encounters related to the Mumbai underworld, out of which, 113 shootouts are in his name.
