01 July,2021 09:08 PM IST | Mumbai | PTI
Sachin Waze | File Pic
The CBI on Thursday sought permission of the special NIA court here to question dismissed police officer Sachin Waze, arrested in the Antilia bomb scare case, in its probe into corruption allegations against former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh.
The court, meanwhile, extended the NIA custody till July 5 of Manish Soni and Satish Mothkuri, arrested in the case of explosives-laden SUV found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence "Antilia" here and the murder of businessman Mansukh Hiran.
Waze, a former "encounter specialist" cop, has been arrested in the same case by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) approached the special NIA court seeking permission to "meet" Waze in jail in connection with its probe against Deshmukh, an NCP leader.
Waze is currently lodged in Taloja jail in neighbouring Navi Mumbai. The court said it will hear the CBI plea on Friday. The CBI has filed a corruption case against Deshmukh on the order of the Bombay High Court. It followed former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh's allegation that Deshmukh used to ask police officers including Waze to collect money from bars and hotels in Mumbai.
Earlier in the day, Manish Soni and Satish Mothkuri, arrested in the Antilia bomb scare and Hiran murder case by the NIA, were produced before the court after their remand ended. The NIA sought extension of their custody. Soni and Mothkuri were arrested on June 17 along with former "encounter specialist" police officer Pradeep Sharma. Sharma is now in judicial custody.
The NIA had earlier told the court that Soni and Mothkuri killed Hiran and dumped his body in a creek with the help of other accused. On Thursday, while seeking their fresh remand, the agency said it wanted to trace the trail of cash recovered from them, and find out who funded their travel after the crime.
Their lawyer Rahul Arote opposed the NIA plea, saying there were no new grounds for seeking extension of the remand, but the court granted the central agency's request. Others arrested in the Antilia bomb scare case include former police officers Riyazuddin Kazi, Sunil Mane, Vinayak Shinde and cricket bookie Naresh Gor. All of them are in judicial custody.
An SUV with explosives was found abandoned near Ambani's south Mumbai residence on February 25 this year. Thane-based businessman Mansukh Hiran, who had claimed that the vehicle had been stolen from his possession, was found dead in Mumbra creek on March 5.
Following Waze's arrest in the case, then Mumbai commissioner Singh was shunted out to the state Home Guard. Singh then leveled bribery accusations against Deshmukh, leading to the NCP leader resigning as home minister.
