Key witness in fake encounter of Chotta Rajan's aide missing

"Anil Dheda, a prime witness in the killing of Ram Narayan Gupta is missing since morning. His wife Aruna lodged a missing person complaint in the police station," said Sanjay Surve, Inspector at Vashi Police Station told PTI.

Gupta was allegedly killed by the police on November 11, 2006 in suburban Versova on suspicion that he was a member of the Chotta Rajan gang. His brother, advocate Ram Prasad Gupta, had on November 15, 2006 moved a petition in the Bombay High Court alleging that he was murdered by police in a fake encounter.

The High Court, in February 2008, had ordered a magisterial inquiry into the encounter. The Magistrate, in his report in August 2009, concluded that Gupta was killed in cold blood.

Later, the High Court formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case.

The SIT last year arrested Inspector Pradeep Sharma and Senior Inspector Pradeep Suryawanshi, among others. While one accused was granted bail, the rest are lodged in Mumbai's Arthur Road jail and in Thane Central Jail.