Friday, January 27 2006 13:11 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: Mumbai crime branch inspector and `encounter specialist' Pradeep Sharma will visit the CID office in Pune today (Jan 27,2006) to face questions on murder of 2002 Ghatkopar bomb blasts suspect Khwaja Younus, who mysteriously disappeared from the custody of Mumbai crime branch in January 2003.

Sharma has already secured an interim anticipatory bail from a local court earlier this week, fearing arrest in themurder probe, which has already witnessed arrests of several Mumbai crime branch officials including Inspector Prafulla Bhosle and Assistant police Inspector Sachin Vaze.

The CID, which has registered a case of murder of Khwaja Younus on the directions of the Bombay High Court, has summoned Sharma to find out if he was aware of any developments that unfolded in the police custody where KhwajaYounus was lodged with other suspects during the probe of the 2002 Ghatkopar bomb blasts probe, sources said.

Younus, an engineer from Parbhani district of Maharashtra, was arrested by Mumbai crime branch in connection with the probe.

As per the police version, Younus was being taken to Aurangabad by a police team led by API Vaze for investigations when he allegedly escaped with handcuffs on, when the vehicle carrying the team met a road accident in Ahmednagar district in the first week of January 2003.

His family members have rejected the version, alleging that Younus fell victim to brutal custodial torture. Another 2002 Ghatkopar bomb blasts suspect, Dr Mateen endorsed the claim and told the High Court that he last heard Khwaja wailing inside the custody as the police was torturing him.

State CID officials say that the story of Khwaja Younus having escaped police custody does not find any corroborative evidence although they admit that the agency does not have sufficient evidence to prosecute crime branch officials for murder charge.

CID officials are hopeful that Inspector Pradeep Sharma'squestioning may help them make a breakthrough in the case.