Mumbai: Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Vaze was suspended from the police force on Monday. This development comes amid growing demand from the Opposition. Announcing the development, Mumbai Police Spokesperson DCP S Chaitanya said, “API Sachin Vaze has been placed under suspension, by an order of Addl CP Special Branch.”
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Vaze, on Saturday, in connection with its probe into the recovery of a Scorpio containing 20 gelatin sticks near Ambani’s house in south Mumbai on February 25. On Sunday, Vaze was remanded to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) custody till March 25 by a court in Mumbai.
API Sachin Vaze was the first investigating officer in the Ambani bomb scare case and was later removed. The probe in the case was later taken over by the NIA.
Earlier, a Thane Court refused anticipatory bail in the alleged murder case of Mansukh Hiren and the Antilia bomb scare probe. The court said that Mansukh Hiren’s wife has named the Mumbai Police officer in the FIR and that there is prima facie evidence against Vaze and hence custodial interrogation is required.
On February 25, the SUV was found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s house in south Mumbai with explosives and a threat letter inside. Hiran had claimed that it had been stolen a week earlier, but the case got murky when he was found dead in a creek in Thane on March 5.
NIA spokespersons said that Sachin Vaze was arrested for his “role and involvement in placing an explosives-laden vehicle near Carmichael Road on February 25”. Sachin Vaze is also being questioned for his alleged role in the death of Mansukh Hiren who had been using the Scorpio found outside Antilia.