SUV bomb scare case: NIA nabs two men allegedly present during Mansukh Hiran’s killing

Anand Jadhav’s car which was seized by the NIA in May. File pic

The National Investigating Agency (NIA) made two arrests in connection with the Mukesh Ambani bomb threat and the Mansukh Hiran murder cases. The two are private people allegedly associated with dismissed Assistant Police Inspector (API) Sachin Waze. According to NIA, both accused were present on the spot when Hiran was killed and helped Waze and his gang in the act.

Sachin Waze being taken to NIA court in April. File pic

The accused have been identified as Santosh Aatmaram Shelar and Anand Pandurang Jadhav. According to sources, the NIA recently seized a Tavera car from Goregaon and suspects that Hiran was killed in the vehicle and his body was later dumped in the creek near Mumbra. Sources added that the car belongs to Jadhav and Shelar was driving it on March 4, the day the alleged murder took place. The car has been sent to the forensic lab in Pune to find out if Hiran was present in the car. An NIA spokesperson said that the arrests were made on June 11 and the duo has been remanded to custody till June 21.

Duo roped in by Waze, Shinde

NIA sources said that Waze conducted multiple meetings with the accused people, including Police Inspector (PI) Sunil Mane and his close aide API Riyazuddin Qazi. With another accused Vinayak Shinde's help, Waze roped in Jadhav and Shelar. Shinde, a former police constable, was convicted in the Lakhan Bhayya fake encounter case and has worked closely with former encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma, who was acquitted in the case.

Mansukh Hiran. File pic

The NIA has also recorded Sharma's statement in these cases multiple times to get clarity on certain points. After Shelar's arrest, several photographs of him with Sharma went viral. However, Sharma has claimed that he doesn't know Shelar and justified the pictures saying that many people get them clicked with him since he is a politician.

According to sources, both the accused have played an important role in the murder and in the destruction of evidence on Waze's instructions.

June 11
Day the arrests took place

June 21
Day till when the duo is in NIA custody