Sachin Waze planted bomb near Antilia for monetary gain, bid to reclaim clout: NIA chargesheet
The sensational bomb scare case, which began with the discovery of Scorpio vehicle with gelatin sticks and a threat letter outside the residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani.
FollowThe over 10,000-page chargesheet filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the Antilia bomb case- Mansukh Hiren murder case states two motives – one being dismissed Mumbai police officer Sachin Waze planning the Antilia bomb scare because he wanted to establish himself as a supercop again by creating a terrorist threat and ‘reclaim his clout as the ace detective/encounter specialist’, while the other being ‘to make huge monetary gains from the entire conspiracy’.
The sensational bomb scare case, which began with the discovery of Scorpio vehicle with gelatin sticks and a threat letter outside the residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani.
“The intent was clearly to terrorise wealthy and prosperous individuals…extort money by putting…fear of dire consequences,” says the chargesheet that invokes the anti-terror law UAPA as well as stringent sections of the Indian Penal Code. The plot allegedly involved five serving and retired cops, including erstwhile encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma. They had roped in five others, some of whom had long criminal records, says the NIA.
“Waze affixed the fake registration of a Range Rover (MH 01-DK-9945) registered in the name of Reliance Industries, deployed as a convoy car for the security of Nita Ambani. Waze had deliberately chosen this number to create an enormous impact of the crime ...to give the Ambani family direct threat with dire consequences,” the chargesheet states.
“A post appeared on the Telegram channel named ‘Jaish Ul Hind’ claiming responsibility and warning that placing of explosives laden vehicle outside Mukesh Amban’s house Antilia was ‘just a trailer’ and ‘a big picture is yet to come’. Herein demand for ransom is made from the Ambani family to avoid dire consequences, which clearly depicts the motive for huge monetary gains from the entire conspiracy,” it adds.
In 2004, Waze was suspended in the Khwaja Yunus custodial death case, and was reinstated in 2020 as assistant police inspector commanding the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU).
The chargesheet puts together a sequence of events roughly from mid-February to March 4, Waze left a note in the vehicle to threaten the Ambanis, says the chargesheet.
As per the chargesheet, the Scorpio car actually belonged to one Sam Newton, who handed it over to Hiran. The latter ran a car decor shop and Newton gave him the car in lieu of pending dues for refurbishing the vehicle.
Hiran and Waze knew each other, the NIA contends. To execute the bomb scare conspiracy, Waze asked Hiran to leave the car at a predecided location on a service road along the Eastern Express highway on February 17. He gave the key to Waze, who picked it up and parked it near his house. The NIA claims that Waze also convinced Hiran to file a complaint that the Scorpio was stolen, allowing him to use the car for the conspiracy, the chargesheet states.
Waze then removed the original number plates and affixed forged plates, deliberately choosing a number that belonged to a car owned by Reliance Industries and was part of Nita Ambani’s convoy, the chargesheet says. By doing so, Waze wanted to “create an enormous impact”, it says.
It was claimed that the vehicle’s steering wheel jammed while Hiran was driving to South Mumbai and he left it on the highway from where it eventually was stolen, even as it was still being used by Waze in the conspiracy on February 25. The chargesheet has the statement of an Ola driver who ferried Hiran from the highway to South Mumbai. It states that Hiran spoke to a certain “sir” multiple times during the ride. It further states that after a call from “sir”, Hiran, who was to be dropped at the Mumbai police headquarters, asked to be dropped a short distance away. CCTV footage from this area shows Hiran having met Waze.
Also read: 7 women Army officers move Supreme Court after Army denies them permanent commission
After investigators reached Hiran, Waze allegedly tried to convince him to take responsibility for the conspiracy. The NIA has taken statements from Hiran’s family to show that he was with Waze, meeting him every day from February 26 to March 4. When Hiran refused to claim responsibility, the conspiracy to eliminate him was hatched, the NIA states.
While invoking section 20 of UAPA that deals with being a member of a terror group, the chargesheet states that Waze, former encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma and five other accused are ‘members of a terrorist gang’, “...committed preparatory acts for commission of a terrorist act .and in process stayed at Hotel Oberoi with fictitious name ...parked an explosive vehicle near Antilia with an intention to strike terror in the people and to cause death or injuries to the persons or to cause damages to properties by using explosives,” the chargesheet reads.
The chargesheet states that Hiren who was seen as a 'weak link in the case' was smothered to death by the co-accused who were paid by Waze and Sharma to execute the said crime. Sharma also directed one of the co-accused, Manish Soni to be sent to Dubai as he was considered as a weak link and would have spill the beans of Hiren’s murder. A part of the amount paid to the co-accused was used for a trip to Nepal to escape investigation.
NOTE: Asianet News humbly requests everyone to wear masks, sanitize, maintain social distancing and get vaccinated as soon as eligible. Together we can and will break the chain #ANCares #IndiaFightsCorona
