Special court allows Sachin Vaze to undergo heart surgery at a private hospital

NIA court also rejects federal agency’s plea seeking custody of Sachin Vaze and Sunil Mane, both arrested in Antilia bomb scare and the subsequent killing of Thane trader Mansukh Hiran

A special NIA (National Investigation Agency) court on Monday rejected the application filed by the agency seeking custody of dismissed Mumbai police officers Sachin Vaze and inspector Sunil Mane, arrested in the Antilia explosives scare and the subsequent murder of Thane trader Mansukh Hiran.

Sachin Vaze. (File photo)

Special NIA judge Prashant R Sitre rejected the NIA’s application and allowed Vaze to be admitted to a private hospital for an open heart surgery at his own expenses.

Vaze had sought court permission as the state-run JJ Hospital, where he was being treated for heart related issues, had asked him to undergo open heart surgery urgently to remove three blockages.

Moving the plea past Saturday, the federal agency said its investigation was the last phase. It sought custody of the two accused ex-police officers, claiming that after the arrest of former encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma and four others, the agency suspected involvement of some more persons in the two crimes, and needed to question them. The duo is in judicial custody and lodged in Taloja jail.

The agency said they have utilised Vaze’s 28-day custody and there are two more days of his custody left under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and 16 more days in case of Mane.

“Vaze and Mane, both being (former) police officers, were aware of the tricks to evade interrogation by the investigating agency with wrong leads. However, the agency has some incriminating material that they need to be confronted with,” the agency claimed.