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Thane trader’s death: Sachin Vaze’s bail hearing adjourned till Mar 30
Seeking Vaze’s custody from the NIA, the ATS told the court that they wished to interrogate Vaze over his whereabouts the night of March 4, when Hiran went missing
The Thane district and sessions court on Friday adjourned till March 30 the hearing of an anticipatory bail application filed by suspended police officer Sachin Vaze in connection with the death of businessman Mansukh Hiran, even as the Maharashtra Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) sought his custody. ATS got production warrant from Thane court. Now they can arrest Vaze anytime once he is bailed out from NIA case.
Vaze is currently under arrest by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), in connection with the explosives-laden SUV found outside billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s house last month.
On March 12, Vaze had filed an anticipatory bail plea in connection with the ATS investigation into Hiran’s murder, after Hiran’s wife Vimla told the investigators that she suspected Vaze had a hand in her husband’s death.
The court had posted the matter to March 19 but had also said that custodial interrogation of Vaze was necessary as prima facie there was evidence against him.
Vaze’s lawyer Aarti Kalekar sought time to study the reply submitted by prosecutor Sanjay Londe representing the ATS which is probing the murder of Hiran, a Thane-based auto spare parts dealer, who is linked to Scorpio found outside Antilia on February 25.
Seeking Vaze’s custody from the NIA, the ATS told the court that they wished to interrogate Vaze over his whereabouts the night of March 4, when Hiran went missing.
Hiran’s body was found in the Retibunder creek on March 5, without any identifying markers including his wallet, watch, gold ring and mobile phone, all of which were missing. His mouth was stuffed with handkerchiefs and covered with a scarf.
“Mansukh Hiran, Thane based trader went missing from his house on the night of March 4, his body was found on March 5. We want to interrogate Vaze on his movement from the time Hiran went missing to the time his body was found. Secondly there is a larger conspiracy in his death which we want to uncover. We want to find out how many people and who all are involved,” the ATS reply read.
“We wish to investigate who took these valuables and why. The fourth important point for our investigation is where was the Scorpio, found outside Antilia, parked between February 17 to February 25, who changed the number plates, the making of bogus number plate, why and how.”
A Scorpio that Hiran had been driving for three years and reported stolen on February 18, was found parked outside Antilia on February 25. It had 20 sticks of gelatin (no detonator or timer) and a threatening letter addressed to Ambani. 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 of the vehicle were removed. Even the chassis number embossed on the car near right front wheel was wiped out.
“The ATS had submitted its say in the court. It was a large document, so we will read and study it. We would also take instructions from our client on the course of argument for the next hearing for March 30,” Vaze’s defence lawyer Aarti Kalekar said adding that Vaze had been falsely implicated before.
Vaze had been taken to court by the Crime Investigation Department for his role in the alleged custodial death of terror suspect Khwaja Yunus in 2003. After he was suspended in 2004, Vaze retired from the force in 2007. He was reinstated last year after his suspension was revoked.
Vaze’s sister Anuradha Hatkar (50) on Friday moved court to issue directions to the media stationed outside her house ever since her brother was arrested. The court of District Judge Shailendra Tambe directed the Rabodi police station to look into her complaint.
“We filed an application in the court for increasing vigilance near the residence. The sister who stays in Saket has no connection in the case,” Kalekar said, adding that Vaze’s relatives in Kolhapur too were being questioned by the media about Vaze.
Meanwhile, the special NIA court refused to entertain applications filed by Vaze and NIA on the issue of presence of lawyer during interrogation of Vaze.
Vaze’s lawyers had on Thursday moved applications first seeking clarity on presence of lawyer in interrogation room and second meeting Vaze in privacy after the interrogation for exchanging instruction. The court had asked NIA to respond to the said plea.
The special NIA court had partly allowed this application by allowing an advocate representing Waze to be present while he is being interrogated. The advocate was to be within visible range but not in hearing range according to the court order. The court had however rejected the prayer of Vaze for meeting with lawyer in private during the time of his NIA custody.
On Friday, the NIA moved the special court seeking direction to the lawyer of Vaze to remain present at the time of Vaze’s questioning. The NIA claimed that Vaze has been insisting for presence of his lawyer during questioning and his lawyers are not available. This NIA claimed has stalled their probe.
Vaze’s lawyer Abad Ponda contended that it is the right of the accused to have a private meeting with the lawyer during the custody period for giving instructions. The lawyers sought that Vaze should be allowed to meet the lawyer in privacy.
The court refused to entertain NIA’s claim stating the agency can continue their probe on their own and such direction is not needed. While Rejecting Vaze’s claim the court said the order passed on Tuesday about the terms of presence of lawyer were clear enough.
