Mansukh Hiran case: Maharashtra ATS moves NIA court, seeks Sachin Vaze’s custody

While the central government on Saturday handed over the case involving the mysterious death of Thane trader Mansukh Hiran to National Investigation Agency (NIA), the Maharashtra anti-terrorism Squad (ATS) approached the special NIA court for suspended Mumbai Police officer Sachin Vaze’s custody

While the central government on Saturday handed over the case involving the mysterious death of Thane trader Mansukh Hiran to National Investigation Agency (NIA), the Maharashtra anti-terrorism Squad (ATS) approached the special NIA court for suspended Mumbai Police officer Sachin Vaze’s custody.

Vaze is currently in NIA’s custody in connection with the explosives case. (HT File)

ATS on Saturday sought Vaze’s custody to arrest him in connection with Hiran’s murder case. The court has, however, scheduled the hearing on March 25, when Vaze’s NIA custody ends.

The body of Hiran, a 48-year-old auto spare parts businessman, had washed ashore at a creek in Thane on March 5, a day after he went missing. The probe is being conducted by ATS as the same is being linked to the case of explosives found in an SUV parked near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s home last month.

The SUV, that Hiran had been driving for three years and was reported stolen on February 18, was found parked outside Antilia on February 25. It had 20 sticks of gelatin. Two identical sets of three different registration number plates were kept beneath the rear seat of the vehicle, and its own engine number and body number were removed. Even the chassis number embossed on the car near right front wheel was wiped out.

On Friday, while opposing Vaze’s anticipatory bail, ATS had claimed that it wished to interrogate the former cop over his whereabouts on the night of March 4, when Hiran went missing.

ATS claimed that they wanted to probe where was the Scorpio parked between February 17 and February 25, who changed its number plate, why and how was the bogus number plate made.