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Antilia bomb scare: HC refuses bail to dismissed police officer Sunil Mane

Nov 19, 2024 07:10 AM IST

The Bombay High Court denied bail to ex-officer Sunil Mane, linked to the 2021 murder of Mansukh Hiren and explosives found near Mukesh Ambani's home.

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Monday rejected the bail plea of dismissed police officer Sunil Mane, who has been arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with the planting of an explosives-laden SUV outside Antilia, the home of billionaire industrialist Mukesh Ambani, and the murder of the vehicle’s owner, Mansukh Hiren, in 2021.

Antilia bomb scare: HC refuses bail to dismissed police officer Sunil Mane
Antilia bomb scare: HC refuses bail to dismissed police officer Sunil Mane

A division bench of justice Revati Mohite Dere and justice Prithviraj Chavan said that, prima facie, there was sufficient material to indicate the involvement and complicity of Mane in Hiren’s murder. It also said that the possibility of Mane, who is well connected with senior police officers, tampering with the evidence cannot be ruled out.

The court said that the offences are quite serious, including those under the stringent provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, adding that it would not be just and proper to release him on bail.

According to the NIA, a Mahindra Scorpio with a bag containing 20 loose gelatin sticks and a note threatening to kill the Ambanis was found parked near Antilia in south Mumbai on February 25, 2021. Before the police could unravel the mystery, the body of Hiren, the owner of the four-wheeler, was found in a creek near Mumbra on March 5.

The NIA investigation purportedly revealed that the SUV was planted outside Antilia by the prime accused–dismissed police officer Sachin Waze. Waze, in connivance with Mane and another retired cop, encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma, had allegedly conspired to kill Hiren after he refused to accept the blame for planting the explosives-laden SUV outside Antilia.

According to the NIA, Mane played a vital role in Hiren’s murder. He allegedly called the businessman via a benami phone number and asked to meet him at Ghodbunder Road under the pretext of helping transport him to a safe place to escape arrest. When Hiren arrived at the spot, Mane allegedly handed him over to four people hired by Sharma.

The hired killers then smothered Hiren to death in another vehicle and dumped the body in a creek near Mumbra, the agency said. Mane also allegedly tried to fabricate evidence by taking Hiren’s mobile phone to a distant location before switching it off.

Mane, who was arrested on April 23, 2021, had approached the high court after his bail plea was rejected by a special court for NIA cases. His counsel argued that there was absolutely no evidence to suggest that the dismissed senior police inspector was part of any conspiracy and that he had lured and handed over the victim to the hired killers. However, the court refused to accept the contentions and rejected the bail plea.

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