Antilia bomb case: Ex-cop Waze wanted to terrorise Ambanis, says NIA court

Former policeman Sachin Waze wanted to create terror in the mind of the Ambani family, a special court in Mumbai observed in its order denying bail to him in the Antilia bomb scare case and the killing of businessman Mansukh Hiran.

The court held that though the gelatin sticks planted near Antilia, the Ambani residence, were not connected to a detonator, it was sufficient to create terror in the minds of people.

Special National Investigation Agency judge AM Patil denied bail to Waze on September 16 and the detailed order was made available on Friday.

Citing statements of witnesses, the court said the applicant and the co-accused in the case had tried to spread terror in the mind of the Ambani family and had eliminated Hiran after conspiring with each other.

“It was a well-planned murder. Every precaution was taken to escape the clutches of law. It is not a simple allegation under a section of the Indian Penal Code. In such a situation if the applicant is released on bail, there is every possibility of him tampering with the witnesses,” the court observed.

"It is amply clear that though the gelatin sticks were not connected to the detonator, it was sufficient to create terror in the minds of people. Here in this case, the attempt of the applicant was to create terror in the mind of a particular section of people and that is the Ambani family,” the order stated.

As seen from the prosecution story, Waze conspired to “regain clout”, it said.

The court said that when the incident took place in February 2021, the accused was attached to the Crime Intelligence Unit and was entrusted with duties as a police officer.

However, upon perusal of the statements of witnesses, it is seen that bringing the SUV from Hiran, parking it near Antilia along with a note and gelatin sticks and the murder were not part of Waze's duties, it said.

In his plea, Waze is silent about how these activities were part of his duty, but he wants to take advantage of the point of obtaining the prior sanction for the prosecution of a government servant, the court observed.

On Waze's contention of internal rivalry in the police department, the court said his bail plea is silent “as to with whom he had rivalry in the police department and how he has been implicated in the false case”.

On the grounds of the delay in the trial, the court said that the chargesheet and electronic evidence were huge and there were 10 accused in the case.

According to the NIA, Waze, then an assistant police inspector with the Mumbai crime branch, parked an SUV with explosives outside Antilia as part of a conspiracy.

Hiran told the police, wrongly, that it had been stolen from his possession, but when he later said he would tell the truth, the conspirators allegedly killed him, the probe agency had said.

It is clear that Waze is directly involved in the crime and committed offences punishable for conspiring to commit a terrorist act, commission of a terrorist act, (being) a member of a terrorist gang, kidnapping and murder of Hiran and criminal conspiracy, it claimed.

An SUV with explosives was found near Ambani's residence on February 25, 2021.

Hiran, a businessman who said he had the vehicle before it was 'stolen', was found dead in a creek in neighbouring Thane on March 5, 2021.