Antilia case: NIA suspects role of more persons, seeks custody of ex- Mumbai cops

The federal agency on Saturday informed special judge that it needs to question Sachin Vaze and Sunil Mane

Claiming that some more persons are suspected to have played a key role in the Antilia explosives scare and Mansukh Hiran murder case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has moved the special court again, seeking the custody of dismissed Mumbai cops Sachin Vaze and Sunil Mane for two and five days, respectively

NIA claimed that Sachin Vaze is the main accused in the case and carried out the crimes out of purported desperation to “restore his lost glory in police.” (HT FILE)

The federal agency on Saturday, through special prosecutor Sunil Gonsalves, informed special judge Prashant R Sitre that its investigation in the two cases is in the last phase. It has, however, sought the custody of the two accused ex-police officers claiming that after the arrest of former encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma and four others, the agency suspects that some more persons have played a key role in the two cases and it needs to question Vaze and Mane about it. The duo is in judicial custody in Taloja jail.

“After the arrest of the last five accused (Sharma, Satish Mothkuri, Manish Soni, Santosh Shelar and Anand Jadhav), we have found some new things that we need to confront Vaze and Mane with,” Gonsalves said after the special court asked why the agency needed the custody of the two accused when it is about to file the charge sheet.

The agency has said that they have already utilised Vaze’s 28-day custody and there are two more days of his custody left under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, while Mane will end after 16 days.

“Vaze and Mane, both being (former) police officers, were well-aware of the tricks to evade interrogations by the investigating agency with wrong leads. However, the agency now has some incriminating material that needs to be confronted with them,” said the agency.

The agency added that statements of several witnesses have been recorded under 161 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) on which they need to be confronted and the trail of the money seized also needs to be found.

Meanwhile, Vaze’s counsel Raunak Naik has moved an application seeking home food for the 52-year-old and permission to get treated at a private hospital as he is having three major heart blockages. Naik informed the court that Vaze has been advised to urgently undergo open heart surgery when he was taken to Sir JJ Hospital for treatment after complaining of chest pain.

“While you want to get him admitted, the agency wants his police custody,” judge Sitre observed.

Vaze’s counsel pointed out that there is a health emergency, as his client was unwell and had to undergo the surgery at the earliest.

The court has now posted the matter for Monday.

On February 25, a Mahindra Scorpio was found abandoned near billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s residence Antilia on Carmichael Road in south Mumbai, with 20 loose gelatin sticks and a note threatening to kill members of the industrialist’s family.

On March 5, the body of Hiran – the SUV’s owner who is an auto parts dealer from Thane – was found dumped in a creek at Reti Bunder near Mumbra.

NIA took over investigations in both the cases and claimed that Vaze is the main accused in the case and carried out the crimes out of purported desperation to “restore his lost glory in police.” Later, NIA also arrested Sharma and four others who allegedly throttled Hiran and dumped his body in creek.