Central agency tells court it has enough evidence to show that controversial officer was behind everything from the orchestrated threat to industrialist to the alleged murder of businessman Mansukh Hiran
NIA officers bring Sharma to their office in Pedder Road. Pic/Suresh Karkera
Over three months after a Scorpio laden with explosive material was found outside Mukesh Ambani’s residence and businessman Mansukh Hiran was murdered, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested former encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma and his two aides on Thursday. The agency said that it had suspected Sharma of being involved in the case since the beginning and that now it has concrete evidence against him.
ADVERTISEMENT
Sharma was arrested from his Lonavala farmhouse. At the court, he claimed that he has been framed by a lobby in Mumbai police that is working against him. Sharma said that he wouldn’t have been sleeping at home had he done something wrong. The motive behind the Antilia episode, however, remains unclear.
Pradeep Sharma with co-accused Santosh Shelar, his long-time informant
Sharma, Waze instructed: NIA
The two others arrested have been identified as Manish Basant Soni and Satish Motekari alias Tanni alias Vicky Baba. According to NIA, the duo allegedly smothered Hiran in the Tavera car along with co-accused Santosh Shelar and Anand Jadhav on March 4. The NIA told the court that everything, including planting the SUV near Antilia and Hiran’s murder, happened on Sharma and dismissed cop Sachin Waze’s instructions. “Satish and Manish admitted killing Hiran for the larger conspiracy on the instructions of Waze and Sharma,” NIA public prosecutor Sunil Gonsalves said. The court questioned the NIA on why it did not arrest Sharma earlier when his role surfaced, to which Gonsalves said, “He is a police officer and they are very tough nuts to crack. He misled us. We initially had strong suspicions on him but now we have concrete evidence.”
The evidence against Sharma is in the form of digital material and documents. The NIA said that Shelar and Jadhav admitted their roles, took Sharma’s name and showed the spot where Hiran was killed and his body was disposed of.
Dismissed cop Sachin Waze
After picking up Hiran near Ghodbunder road on March 4, Waze and co-accused Sunil Mane took him near a lodge and stayed in the car for 26 minutes before handing over him to Shelar and the others. Waze returned to Mumbai on the train and conducted a fake raid at a bar in South Mumbai. Mane drove towards Virar and dumped Hiran’s belongings and mobile phone at an unknown location. He also allegedly switched on the phone near Tungareshwar and Mandavi in Vasai to mislead investigators.
“After killing Hiran, the group informed Waze and Sharma. We have evidence to prove that,” Gonsalves said.
DNA found inside Tavera
The NIA claims to have found crucial DNA in the Tavera. Reports from the forensic science laboratory in Pune are awaited. NIA has also recovered a huge amount in cash from the accused, which it suspects was payment made by Waze and Sharma for the murder and hatching the conspiracy. “We have conducted searches at Sharma’s residence and seized various documents. We have also found arms and ammunition with expired licences from his residence,” Gonsalves told the court.
The court remanded the three arrested accused to NIA custody till June 28.
During the hearing, the NIA requested the court to not to allow journalists as the matter is sensitive but the court refused to do so.
Manish Basant Soni and (right) Satish Motekari alias Tanni alias Vicky Baba, were also arrested on Thursday. Pic/Suresh Karkera
‘Lobby against me’
Sharma told the court that the arms found at his residence were given to him by a police commissioner in 1997 and that he has not received a renewed licence for it yet. “I never had communication with Waze. Had I been involved in wrongdoing, I would not have been sleeping at home after the arrest of so many people. There are groups in Mumbai police and one lobby is conspiring against me. I run an NGO and I am a politician because of which many people take pictures with me. Just because Shelar has a picture with me does not mean I am involved. I know him because he used to be my informant,” Sharma said in court.
After Sharma’s statements, the court asked to see the NIA’s case diary to understand the evidence against him. The details of the diary were not revealed.
So far, the agency has arrested 10 people including Sharma. On Thursday, the NIA raided Sharma’s Andheri residence and his NGO Pradeep Sharma foundation. The raids lasted for over 12 hours.
The NIA raided Pradeep Sharma’s residence and his NGO’s office for over 12 hours on Thursday. Pic/Sameer Markande
Why is Sharma a suspect?
During the initial probe, the NIA found evidence of meetings between Waze, Mane, other accused and Sharma. An important meet also allegedly took place in the complex of Commissioner of Police office near Crawford Market when Param Bir Singh was the police chief. The NIA recorded Singh’s statement to get clarity on certain points. The agency suspected Sharma after the arrest of Vinayak Shinde, a convict in the Lakhan Bhaiya fake encounter case, in which Sharma was acquitted. Sharma is also Waze’s mentor. A crucial link found by the Maharashtra ATS and submitted to NIA was the last location of the mobile allegedly used by Mane to call Hiran via WhatsApp on March 4. The same number was found to be active last in Andheri near Sharma’s residence. His arrest came after Shelar spilt the beans and Jadhav pointed to his involvement. The NIA is also probing the role of other officers, one of whom is a senior officer in the Maharashtra police.
What is the motive?
The NIA had initially claimed that Waze wanted to be a super cop by cracking the case and becoming famous. He also allegedly planned a fake encounter near Antilia after planting the Scorpio but failed and eliminated Hiran who could have become an important witness. With the arrest of Sharma, who is associated with the Shiv Sena, the question that arises is: if the motive indeed was Waze wanting to be a super cop, what was Sharma’s motive in the case?
Two
No. of other people arrested on Thursday
24
Day in February the Scorpio was planted outside Antilia
Who are the arrested and their roles
Sachin Waze, ex-API, Mumbai Crime Branch, held on March 13
. Allegedly planned conspiracy with Pradeep Sharma and others, planted SUV laden with explosive material outside Antilia on February 24, used police vehicles in the crime. Planned Mansukh Hiran’s murder and destroyed evidence.
Riyazuddin Qazi, ex-API, Mumbai Crime Branch, held on April 11
. Associated with Waze at Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU). Waze’s trusted aide, dumped hard disks, DVR and laptop in Mithi river.
Sunil Mane, ex-PI, Mumbai Crime Branch, held on April 25
. Was in charge of Crime Branch’s Unit XI during conspiracy. Attended various conspiracy meetings with Waze, helped plant the Scorpio, called Hiran on March 4 posing as Tawade and later picked him up in his car along with Waze, handed him to Shelar near a lodge in Ghodbunder. NIA claims to have seen CCTV footage where he is seen.
Vinayak Shinde, ex-constable, held on March 21 by Maharashtra ATS
. Convicted in Lakhan Bhaiya fake encounter case, out on parole due to the pandemic. Was in touch with Waze, attended several meetings.
Naresh Gore, cricket bookie, held on March 21 by Maharashtra ATS
. Provided SIM cards used in the crime to Waze.
Santosh Shelar, police informer, held on June 11
. Sharma’s informer closely associated with him for many years. Mane handed Hiran over to him near Ghodbunder Road, dumped Hiran’s body in the creek, owns the Tavera car and was present in it when Hiran was smothered using a handkerchief. Has a criminal record. His name came up with relation to disappearance of evidence in a high profile case but nothing was found against him
Anand Jadhav, was held on June 14
. Allegedly known to Sharma, was present in the Tavera during Hiran’s murder, helped dump his body, was allegedly known to Shelar and brought in for the job on Sharma’s instructions.
Manish Basant Soni, held on June 17
. Present inside the Tavera car, helped dump his body. Was the first to spill the beans on Sharma to NIA
Satish Motekari alias Tanni alias Vicky Baba, held on June 17
. Was present in the Tavera, helped dump Hiran’s body
Pradeep Sharma, former encounter specialist, held on June 17
. According to NIA, he is the main conspirator along with Waze. He gave instructions to other accused in both cases, right from the planting of the Scorpio to killing Hiran. Allegedly paid huge amounts in cash to those recruited in the case and to witnesses. His role is also suspected in procuring the gelatin found in the car.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
