Mumbai’s top police Sachin Waze was arrested on March 13 night after a 12-hour interrogation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), ignoring the case related to the explosives discovered in a car outside Mukesh Ambani’s house.
Waze was arrested outside Ambani’s house after being questioned over alleged links with explosives-laden owner Mansukh Hiren.
Waze was arrested under Sections 286 (careless conduct in connection with an explosive substance), 465 (punishment for forgery), 473 (with intent to make or possess a fake seal, vandalization penalty or otherwise), 506 (2) (Criminal intimidation) for punishment), 120 B (Criminal conspiracy punishment) of the IPC and 4 (a) (b) (I) Explosive Substances Act 1908, ANI quoted NIA.
Waze’s arrest came a day after he went to Thane district and sessions court for anticipatory bail on Friday, after which the court refused to grant him interim protection and filed a petition for hearing on 19 March.
In an FIR filed on March 7, Hiren’s family alleged that Waze was involved with the family before the car was found outside Ambani’s house. The family alleges the car was in Waze’s possession for months before Hiren’s return and went missing the same day.
Vimla, Mansukh Hiren’s wife, had alleged in the FIR that Waze was allegedly involved in an alleged conspiracy to cover up her husband and had allegedly murdered him.
Waze’s alleged association with Hiren sparked a storm in Maharashtra’s politics with the Devendra Fadnavis-led opposition, accusing the Mahabharata Vikas government of his suspension and arrest of trying to fuel his ties with the Shiv Sena. .
Following the uproar of the opposition, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh announced on 10 March that Waze would be removed from the crime branch and appointed to a separate department.
The investigation into the recovery of explosives from the car near Antilla was handed over from the ATS to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on 8 March.