Ambani security scare probe: Sachin Vaze remanded to NIA custody till March 25
Mansukh Hiran's wife accused Vaze of killing her husband and claimed that Vaze was pressurising Hiran to get arrested in the case.
Mumbai police officer Sachin Vaze on Sunday has been remanded to the custody of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) till March 25 in connection with his alleged link with the explosive-laden car which was found on Carmichael Road near Mukesh Ambani's residence Antilia on February 25. After his late-night arrest on Saturday, the encounter specialist of the Mumbai Police was produced before a court in South Mumbai.
During the hearing, NIA pleaded that the case has so far travelled to three agencies — Mumbai Crime Branch, Anti-terror Squad and then the NIA. Hence, NIA wants to probe the role played by the accused. The prosecution, however, refused to share the copy of the remand application with the lawyers of Vaze, citing privilege and confidentiality. Vaze’s lawyer Sudeep Passbola objected to it and claimed that the agency has no evidence to implicate Vaze. On the right to have access to the remand application, the court will hear the defence (Vaze) team arguments on Monday.
Vaze has moved an application before the Bombay high court challenging the grounds of his arrest. Vaze's counsel advocate Sudeep Pasbola, however, was not available for further details about the high court plea.
Vaze's alleged connection to the case surfaced after it was found that the SUV carrying the explosives belongs to a Thane-based businessman Mansukh Hiran, who was found dead on February 5. Hiran's wife accused Vaze of killing her husband and claimed that Vaze took the SUV from Hiran in November. She also claimed that Vaze was pressurising Hiran to get arrested in the case.
A top official told HT that during the 12-hour interrogation, Vaze confessed to being a part of the group that planted the car near Antilia on February 25. “Sachin Vaze is part of the group that planted the explosive-laden Scorpio on Carmichael Road (near Antilia) on February 25. He has confessed to it,” a top official told HT.
After his name surfaced in the case, he was transferred from the crime intelligence unit (CIU) of the Mumbai crime branch to Citizen Facilitation Centre (CFC) of Mumbai police.