MUMBAI COP ARRESTED FOR ALLEGED ROLE IN AMBANI SECURITY SCARE CASE

Sachin Vaze, who was Assistant Police Inspector in the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) and later transferred to the Citizen Facilitation Centre at Mumbai Police Headquarters after his name came up in the Mansukh Hiren death case, has been sent to NIA custody till 25 March, in connection with his role and involvement in placing an explosives-laden vehicle near Mukesh Ambani’s house in Mumbai on 25 February.

Vaze had on Saturday moved an anticipatory bail application at Thane District and Sessions Court. The matter briefly came up for hearing on 12 March but the court refused to give him any interim relief and issued notice to the state government and posted the matter for hearing on 19 March.

Hiren, the owner of the vehicle that was found containing explosives outside the house of Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, was found dead in a creek on 5 March in Thane.

After allegations were levelled against him in connection with the case, Vaze, who was leading the investigating of Hiren’s death in the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU), was transferred to the Citizen Facilitation Centre at the Mumbai Police Headquarters.

Earlier on 25 February, a car carrying unassembled explosive materials was found abandoned at Carmichael Road in South Mumbai, near the house of Mukesh Ambani.

The owner of the vehicle, Mansukh Hiren, was found dead in a creek in the Thane last week. Now, ATS Maharashtra is investigating the case.

Earlier in the day, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya had alleged that Vaze has more than six businesses and Shiv Sena leaders Sanjay Mashelkar and Vijay Gawai were his business partners.

“Mumbai Police officer Sachin Vaze has more than 6 businesses—Multibuild Infraprojects Limited, Techlegal Solutions Pvt Ltd, DGNext Multimedia Limited and others. Who were the business partners? Shiv Sena leaders Sanjay Mashelkar and Vijay Gawai,” Somaiya had said.

Vaze has been one of the top encounter specialists of Mumbai Police, with 63 encounters under his belt. He first came under the scanner when he was suspended in March 2004 after allegations of custodial death of a 2002 Ghatkopar blast suspect Khwaja Yunus. He was suspended along with 14 other cops at that time. Later, when his application for being reinstated was rejected, he resigned from the police force in November 2007 and joined Shiv Sena in 2008. As years passed by, in June 2020, he was reinstated in the Mumbai police’s CIU.