Bomb scare-murder cases: Court sends Waze to judicial custody

A special NIA court here on Friday sent suspended police officer Sachin Waze to judicial custody till April 23 in the case of recovery of an explosives-laden SUV from near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's house and the death of businessman Mansukh Hiran.

Waze, arrested on March 13, was produced before the special court after the end of his NIA remand.

Special judge PR Sitre sent the suspended assistant police inspector (API) in judicial custody till April 23 after the anti-terror agency didn't press for his further custody.

The accused had been in the custody of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) since his arrest on March 13, over two weeks after the explosives-laden SUV was found parked near Ambani's house in south Mumbai on February 25.

Waze is also under the scanner over the alleged murder of Hiran, who was in possession of the SUV.

His interrogation has revealed several aspects of both the related cases and also Waze's financial dealings besides recovery of cash and high-end cars, according to the agency.

The NIA had earlier told the court that it has been revealed that an amount of Rs 1.5 crore was in the account of a private bank in the name of a company floated by Waze.

Besides cash, police have recovered as many as eight high-end cars from the accused, the NIA has said.

The NIA has said its investigation has revealed Waze and other accused had hatched a conspiracy to eliminate Hiran on March 2 and 3.

The court has also been told that Hiran was a co-conspirator in the explosives case.

Hiran, who had claimed that the vehicle had been stolen, was found dead in a creek in Thane on March 5.

There are two other two accused in the case, including Vinayak Shinde, a former policeman.