Antilia explosives scare: Court grants NIA one more month to file charge sheet

A special court on Thursday gave the National Investigating Agency (NIA) 30 more days to file charge sheet in the Antilia explosives scare case and murder of Thane-based auto parts dealer Mansukh Hiran.

A special court on Thursday gave the National Investigating Agency (NIA) 30 more days to file charge sheet in the Antilia explosives scare case and murder of Thane-based auto parts dealer Mansukh Hiran.

The explosives-laden SUV seized near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence Antilia. (HT FILE)

NIA had already got a 60-day extension for filing charge sheet in the twin case and had asked for 30 more days. The agency said if the accused were allowed to get out on bail, they might pose a threat to the investigations and added that several witnesses have been threatened in the matter.

The agency, through special public prosecutor Sunil Gonsalves, informed the court that the extension of custody of the accused – dismissed police officers Sachin Vaze, Riyazuddin Kazi, Sunil Mane and Vinayak Shinde, and bookie Naresh Gor – was necessary.

The special court on Thursday also rejected the default bail application of Vaze. Vaze cited judgements by the Apex court and submitted that the agency should have filed a charge sheet within the given time to the first applied section in the first information report. He added that the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, which gives 180 days’ time to the agency to file a charge sheet, was applied later in his case.