Gadoli’s girlfriend says she didn’t know he was a gangster
MUMBAI: Divya Pahuja, alleged girlfriend of gangster Sandeep Gadoli who was killed by the Gurgaon police in a fake encounter in a hotel near the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai in February, broke down in a magistrate’s court on Monday, insisting that she had no role in the encounter and didn’t know that Gadoli was a gangster.
The 20-year-old is accused of planning the encounter in which Gadoli was killed. She allegedly shared details of the gangster’s whereabouts with the Gurgaon Police who tracked him down to a hotel in Andheri and shot him. She was allegedly present in the room when Gadoli was killed .
Divya and her mother Sonia who were arrested by a Mumbai Police special investigation team (SIT) in Gurgaon on July 14, were produced in the magistrate’s court on Monday afternoon for their regular fortnightly appearance. Pleading that she was a victim of circumstances, Divya told the court that Gadoli had introduced himself as Rishab and concealed the fact that he was a gangster.
“My life is ruined. Ever since my name cropped up in the case in the past seven months, no one talks to me anymore. My friends have left me and I am isolated. I was 19 when the incident took place and have just turned 20, lost my job and now stuck in prison,” a weeping Divya told the court.
She insisted that she has been framed in the case. “I was introduced to Gadoli by a common friend Manish. One day he called me and asked me to meet. It was then that Manish introduced me to Gadoli as Rishabh. I knew nothing more than this,” Divya told the court.
While the court patiently listened to her, the magistrate said he could not do anything at this stage.
“I have done nothing. I didn’t give the room number or hotel number to police. In fact I didn’t know that Gadoli was a gangster. Even in the hotel register he gave his fake name and produced fake identity. There was no way for me to get to know about his criminal record,” Divya pleaded. She was finally interrupted by the police and the court said that she has to approach her lawyer and family for help.
Divya also complained about her lawyer and said that he doesn’t visit her. “The lawyer doesn’t come to jail to visit us. My sister is too young to understand all this and my father is handicapped. We have no one here. How do I contact anyone and whom should I approach for help?” Divya cried. The court later adjourned the case for a fortnight.
The Gurgaon police had claimed that Gadoli was killed in retaliatory fire at Hotel Airport Metro in Andheri (east) on February 7. But after an investigation the Mumbai police submitted a report in the court that said the encounter was staged.
A Gurgaon police sub inspector and two constables were also arrested in the case in July.
