’Cop threatened me to withdraw testimony’

After the prime witness in the fake encounter case went missing, another witness has complained of receiving death threats from unknown people and even the police brass

'Cop threatened me to withdraw testimony'

After the prime witness in the fake encounter case went missing, another witness has complained of receiving death threats from unknown people and even the police brass

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LESS than a month after MiD DAY reported that the prime witness in the Lakhan Bhaiya fake encounter case had gone missing ('Prime witness in Lakhan Bhaiya case goes missing', March 14), another key witness has come forward and said that he has been receiving threats from unknown people and even the police brass.

Subhash Patel alias Lefty told MiD DAY that he has been plagued by calls from people asking him to either back off from the case or prepare to die.

Subhash Patel, the prime witness in the Lakhan Bhaiya case, knew Lakhan and had seen him in Navi Mumbai before the encounter

"Before I leave home these days, I tell my family that there is a good chance that I will not come back. I am even more scared after hearing about the prime witness, Anil Jeethalal Bheda, going missing and I need someone to bring my case to public notice," said Patel.

He claimed that Senior Inspector Milind Khetle of Unit 12 had called him to his office and allegedly threatened him to withdraw his testimony from the case involving encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma.

"A man had called me and said that Senior Inspector Milind Khetle wanted to meet me. I met him at his office at 11.30 am on March 8 and he told me 'You are fighting against the system. You have no idea how dangerous it will get for you'. He wanted me to say that I was lying about my testimony," he added.

Patel knew Lakhan Bhaiya and had seen him in Navi Mumbai before the encounter. His testimony is crucial to the case. He said he has complained to the police about the threats several times but has not been provided protection.

Bheda too
Before Anil Bheda went missing, he, too, was receiving threatening calls from people asking him to withdraw his testimony. Bheda went missing on March 13 and the Vashi police had registered a case of kidnapping against unknown people.

The case
Ram Narayan alias Lakhan Bhaiya was gunned down by cops near Nana-Nani Park in suburban Versova on November 11, 2006. Former police inspector Pradeep Sharma is one of the prime accused in what is now being called a fake encounter.

The Other Side
"We called him because we wanted to warn against doing anything illegal in the area. He resides in Gujarat and all the allegations that he has made are false," said Khetle. Jaywant Mane, senior inspector of the Dahisar police, was not available for comment.

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