Ex-Mumbai cop Sachin Waze seeks to turn approver in Antilia bomb scare case
Waze is already an approver in the corruption case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation against former home minister Anil Deshmukh.
Dismissed Mumbai police officer Sachin Waze has written to his lawyer saying that he wants to turn approver in the Antilia explosives case and the connected killing of Thane trader Mansukh Hiran.
In the letter, written late last month, Waze writes, “Threatening Mukesh Ambani and his family - India’s most strongly-guarded private family--that too with some unexplodable low-quality explosives is one of the silliest things one can do. Thus, under no circumstances, I could even think of committing such a crime (sic).”
Waze then goes on to ask his lawyer, advocate Aarti Kalekar, to apprise him of legal consequences, if he does turn approver in the case.
In the same letter, Waze debunks the NIA’s contention that he planted the Scorpio laden with gelatin sticks near the Ambani residence at Altamount Road to regain his clout as an ace cop. “I was already the highest performing officer of Greater Mumbai Police Force and I certainly would not have even have thought of committing a crime to regain clout (sic),” he writes. Kalekar, who confirmed receiving the letter, said she was exploring all options on behalf of Waze.
As regards the murder of the owner of the Scorpio, Mansukh Hiren, Waze writes, “He happened to be known to me and the fact remains that he was being harassed by many, except me. It is a matter of record that no evidence exists to establish that I indeed had any motive/intention to kill Mr Mansukh Hiren (sic).’
“Under these factually and legal circumstances, I am contemplating to make a full and truthful disclosure before a competent court and thereby seek pardon u/s 307 CrPC in Spl. Case no. 1090/2021,” the letter states.
Waze goes on to claim harassment over the last two years. “Since last two years, I am repeatedly mentioning that I have been unduly dragged in the matter i.e. Special Case 1090/2021. Because of my unexpected and undeserved incarceration, my family members as well as near-dear ones are suffering for no fault of theirs (sic).”
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On February 25, 2021, a Mahindra Scorpio was found abandoned outside Antilia with 20 gelatine sticks kept in a backpack and a note threatening the members of the Ambani family. On March 5, the body of the vehicle’s owner, Mansukh Hiren, was found dumped in the creek near Mumbra. According to the NIA which is investigating the case, Sachin Waze, who at that time was heading the Criminal Intelligence Unit of Mumbai police crime branch, had planted the explosives-laden vehicle.
The NIA makes the case that Waze who had known Hiren long before the incident, and certain others cops tried to persuade him to take the fall for planting the explosives and assured him that he would come out on bail soon after his arrest. When he refused to do so, they killed him.
The agency further claims that Waze paid a contract money to former encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma for Hiren’s murder. Accordingly, Sharma hired four people who smothered Hiren in a four-wheeler on Ghodbundar Road and then dumped his body in a creek at Mumbra which was washed ashore during low tide.
Waze is already an approver in the corruption case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation against former home minister Anil Deshmukh, and his plea to turn approver in the connected money laundering case against Deshmukh is pending for consideration of the special PMLA court.
