Antilia explosives scare: NIA court rejects dismissed API’s bail plea

Kazi was working in the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) of the Mumbai crime branch and is accused of helping Sachin Vaze, the prime accused in the case, who headed the unit at the relevant time.

Mumbai: A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Tuesday rejected the bail plea of dismissed assistant police inspector (API) Riyazuddin Kazi, arrested by the federal agency in connection with the Antilia explosives scare and Mansukh Hiren murder case.

Additional sessions judge A T Wankhede rejected the bail plea of Kazi, who was arrested by NIA on April 11, 2021. (Bhushan Koyande / HT Photo)

Kazi was working in the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) of the Mumbai crime branch and is accused of helping Sachin Vaze, the prime accused in the case, who headed the unit at the relevant time.

Additional sessions judge A T Wankhede rejected the bail plea of Kazi, who was arrested by NIA on April 11, 2021.

Kazi had applied for bail through advocates Shraddha Vavhal and Zeeshan Shaikh, contending that sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) nor the charge of murder was applicable to him. “If at all, his role is accepted for destroying of evidence, the offence punishable under section 201 of IPC being bailable one, Kazi was entitled to bail,” they said.

They claimed that Kazi had made station diary entries of all the material that he recovered and only when Vaze accompanied him entries were not made, as it was his responsibility being a senior officer.

They also pointed out that when the crime took place, Kazi was on leave from February 13 to February 24 on account of medical reasons and he was called to the office later.

Special prosecutor Sunil Gonsalves had, however, argued that Kazi was aware of Vaze’s plans and “actively” participated in the destruction of evidence. They allegedly seized several CCTV footage and DVRs under the garb of investigation and destroyed the same - in order to save Vaze from getting caught by law enforcement agencies.

On February 25, 2021, a Mahindra Scorpio was found abandoned near billionaire industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence, Antilia on Carmichael Road in south Mumbai, with 20 loose gelatin sticks and a note threatening to kill Ambani family members.

On March 5, the body of Mansukh Hiren, the owner of the SUV and an auto parts dealer from Thane – was found dumped in a creek at Reti Bunder near Mumbra.

The NIA has arrested former CIU head Sachin Vaze, inspector Sunil Mane, retired ACP Pradeep Sharma, Santosh Shelar, Anant Jadhav, Satish Mothkuri, Manish Soni, Naresh Gor, Vinayak Shinde and Kazi in the case.