Maharashtra government accepts 'encounter specialist' Pradeep Sharma's resignation, paves way for his political career

Maharashtra government on Monday accepted the resignation of Mumbai police's 'encounter specialist' Pradeep Sharma. It is to be noted that Sharma was scheduled to retire in 2022 but he opted for voluntary retirement because he reportedly wants to contest upcoming Assembly election. Sources told Zee Media that Sharma is likely to join Shiv Sena and contest the upcoming Assembly election from Nalasopara seat in Mumbai.

Sharma had joined the police force in 1983 and was credited with several encounters in Mumbai before his dismissal from the service in 2008 for alleged links with the Dawood Ibrahim gang and his role in the Lakhan Bhaiyya fake encounter case. He was, however, reinstated by the Maharashtra government in 2017.

Sharma had also played an important role in arresting some Lashkar terrorists and terrorists with links to Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar back in the late 90s and early 2000. Sharma grabbed headlines once again in 2017 after he succeeded in arresting underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's brother Iqbal Kaskar. It may be recalled that Iqbal Kaskar was arrested from the home of his deceased sister, Haseena Parker, in South Mumbai for his alleged involvement in an extortion case. Sharma had later told Zee Media that Kaskar had surrendered himself as soon as he saw him. 

"In the past few months, we received several inputs about Dawood's team being active in Thane area. We busted the extortion racket and arrested two people in connection. Later, we came to know about Kaskar's involvement in the case," he had said.