The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Shiv Sena leader and former 'encounter specialist' of Mumbai Police, Pradeep Sharma on Thursday. NIA raided the house of Sharma in Andheri area of Mumbai in connection with the ongoing probe into the cases of SUV planting and businessman Mansukh Hiren murder.
An NIA team swooped at his home and carried out searches and later detained Sharma. He was taken into custody from a resort in Lonavla. He was arrested after a six-hour interrogation. He will be produced in Special NIA court. Santosh Shelar and Yadav had mentioned Pradip Sharma's name during the interrogation. Sharma, a controversial former Senior Police Inspector and later a Shiv Sena activist, had been earlier interrogated by the NIA a couple of times last April for the same cases.
The NIA action came in the sensational case of the SUV with 20 gelatin sticks and a threat note abandoned near Antilia, home of industrialist Mukesh Ambani on February 25.
Soon after that, the police recovered the body of the SUV owner from the Thane Creek marshes on March 5, as both the cases triggered a huge political row.
Last week, the NIA had arrested two other persons Santosh Atmaram Shelar and Anand Pandurang Jadhav, both from a slum pocket in Kurar village of Malad east for their roles in the twin cases.