A Special court on Saturday remanded arrested Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Vaze in the extended custody of NIA till April 7 in the twin cases of SUV recovery and businessman Mansukh Hiran’s alleged murder, even as the investigators seized another high-end car allegedly used by Vaze.
Vaze was produced before the Special NIA Court after his remand ended. The NIA rooted for the extension of his custody by a week, saying that its investigations were in final stages and it required the accused for further investigation.
While hearing the NIA’s plea seeking the extension of Vaze’s custody, the
Special NIA court asked the central investigating agency to extend any medical assistance required by the incarcerated police officer and directed it submit the latter’s health status report.
While arguing for the extension of Vaze’s custody, Additional Solicitor-General Anil Singh, representing the NIA, told the court that the investigators had found several incriminating pieces of evidence like a DVR of CCTV footage, laptops and other things which needed to be examined and verified.
Singh also told the court that the NIA was not only investigating the case involving the recovery of an explosive laden SUV near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence on February 25, it was also looking into the alleged murder of businessman
Hiran, whose body was recovered from the Mumbra-Retibunder creek in the neighbouring Thane district on March 5. Vaze was an accused in both the cases, he said.
Meanwhile, the NIA seized one more high-end white Mercedes from Panvel in Raigad district.
With the seizure of a white Mercedes car, the number of high-end cars seized by the NIA has gone up to seven. Earlier, the cars seized by the investigating agency include: Mitsubishi Outlander, a Scorpio, Innova, Prado and two Mercedes Benz.
The investigators suspect that some of seized vehicles had been used to carry out reconnaissance of the site near Ambani’s residence where a Scorpio laden with 20 gelatin sticks was recovered on February 25.
Vaze, a key accused in the SUV planting case, was initially booked under sections 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy) 286 (negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance), 465 (forgery) 473 (making or possessing +counterfeit seal) and 506 -2 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 4 (a)(b)(i) of the Explosive Substances Act, 1908.
The NIA later invoked sections 16 (Punishment for Terror act) and 18 (Punishment for conspiracy etc) of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) against Vaze.
Apart from the SUV recovery case, the NIA is also investigating the alleged Manshukh Hiran murder case.