NIA FILES CHARGE SHEET AGAINST VAZE, OTHERS IN ANTILIA BOMB SCARE CASES

MUMBAI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday filed a charge sheet against dismissed police officer Sachin Vaze and other accused in Antilia bomb scare-Mansukh Hiran murder case.

The central probe agency filed the charge sheet before a court here. Besides Vaze, former ‘encounter specialist’ Pradeep Sharma and a few other former police personnel are also accused in the case.

The agency filed the charge sheet two days before the end of the 30-day extension granted to it by the court last month to complete the process, a defence lawyer said. The case relates to recovery of an explosives-laden SUV near the south Mumbai residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani on February 25 this year. Thane-based businessman Mansukh Hiran, who had claimed that he was in possession of the SUV, was found dead in a creek in Thane on March 5. A special court of the NIA on August 30 had rejected the probe team’s application for custody of former Mumbai Police officers Sachin Vaze and Sunil Mane in bomb scare case at the residence of Reliance Industries’ boss Mukesh Ambani and the subsequent murder of businessman Mansukh Hirani. The duo are currently lodged at the Taloja prison. The federal agency had sought Wazi and Mane’s custody for two and five days, respectively.

BESIDES VAZE, FORMER ‘ENCOUNTER SPECIALIST’ PRADEEP SHARMA AND FEW OTHERS ARE ACCUSED IN THE CASE