Mumbai: Top encounter specialist sacked

Mumbai police's encounter specialist inspector Pradeep Sharma has been sacked for his alleged links with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, a prime accused in 1993 Mumbai blast case.

Sharma said he would move the court against the government action against him.

Dawood has been declared a global terrorist by the United States.

Sharma, former head of crime investigation unit who reportedly killed over 100 alleged gangsters in shootouts, has been dismissed after a probe found that his past records were undesirable, Police Commissioner Hasan Gafoor said.

Sharma, who was posted at Dharavi police station in northeast Mumbai, was served with the dismissal order yesterday, he said.

Asked if any further action would be taken against Sharma, Gafoor said "not at the moment. If required later, we will take appropriate action."

Contacted Sharma, he said he had been summarily dismissed despite "having an unblemished record and the fact that there has been no action in my service for so many years.

"I am feeling sad that people, who work, are being targeted like me. I was never given any punishment in last 25 years but suddenly I have been served a dismissal order," he said.

"I'll fight it out in the court", he added.

Sharma, however, declined to talk about the allegations levelled against him.

Sharma, who entered the police force in 1980s, earned a reputation as being an encounter specialist while he was the head of the Mumbai police Crime Branch.

He had also come under a cloud during investigations into the 2003 custodial death of Ghatkopar blast accused Khwaja Yunus and had been posted to Amravati following a High Court order.