Antilia bomb scare, Mansukh Hiran murder case: Bombay HC cancels Sachin Waze's bail

In a setback to former Mumbai Police officer Sachin Waze the Bombay High Court HC on Thursday cancelled the bail granted to him by a lower court in the 2021 Antilia bomb scare and Mansukh Hiran murder cases news agency IANS reportedA bench of Justices Girish Kulkarni and Neela Gokhale passed the order while allowing an appeal filed by the National Investigation Agency NIA against the September 29 order of a special court granting bail to WazeThe impugned order of the special court is quashed and set aside The appeal by the NIA is allowed the HC order saidWaze is an accused in the Antilia bombscare case in which an SUV laden with explosives was recovered near industrialist Mukesh Ambanis Mumbai residence in February 2021Hiran a possible witness in the case was later found murderedThe Bombay HC had earlier imposed an interim stay on the bail granted to Waze by the Special NIA Court resulting in the former assistant police inspector remaining in judicial custody at Thane Central Prison where he has been lodged for the past five yearsNIA cites 100day Oberoi stay while opposing Sachin Wazes bailThe NIA had opposed bail for the dismissed police officer claiming that Waze could tamper with witnesses and destroy evidenceHe Waze was earlier charged in a fake encounter case He was a police officer who had the duty of protecting the public But he himself indulged in criminal activities where he not just tried to instill fear and terror but he murdered a person the NIAs lawyer saidDuring an earlier hearing of the NIAs appeal in October the High Court expressed surprise over Wazes lifestyle including his use of highend carsThe bench also flagged Wazes extended stay of around 100 days in a room booked at the Oberoi hotel asking how an officer of the rank of assistant police inspector could afford to drive highend vehiclesThe HC said these aspects of Wazes financial situation conduct and professional record were relevant to assessing the charges against himAdditional Solicitor General Anil Singh representing the NIA presented witness statements to the court that mentioned Wazes use of expensive and luxury vehicles while he was an assistant police inspectorHC questions Wazes ownership of five luxury cars including Mercedes and BMWDuring the hearing Singh read out a witness statement which said that Waze travelled in a black Mercedes and asked those accompanying him to switch off their mobile phonesThe court then asked whether the Mercedes belonged to Waze and whether there was any evidence that the vehicle was registered in his nameAfter the NIA responded in the affirmative the court asked whether it was normal for an assistant police inspector to own such an expensive carThe court remarked Since we have not yet seen an Assistant Police Inspector driving a MercedesThe court also sought information from the NIA regarding Wazes other vehicles and reviewed a list of five vehicles he used while serving as an assistant police inspectorThe list included a white BMW a black Volvo a white Mercedes a white Toyota Land Cruiser Prado and another black MercedesHC questions how Sachin Waze afforded luxury lifestyle on Rs 90000 salarySeeing the number of vehicles the court said He Sachin Waze owns five vehiclesThe court noted that according to statements submitted by the NIA Waze travelled in a highend Mercedes to the Mumbai Police Commissioners office and the Maharashtra Chief Ministers residence VarshaSingh also told the court that Waze had stayed at a sevenstar hotel in South Mumbai for around 100 daysThe court asked how a police officer earning a monthly salary of around Rs 90000 at the time could afford such an expensive lifestyleThe NIA said the vehicles owned and used by Waze were being linked to alleged extortion in the caseWith IANS inputs