MUMBAI TOP COP SHUNTED TO AID PROBE IN AMBANI BOMB SCARE CASE: MAHA MINISTER

Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Thursday said that the National Invetigation Agency (NIA) and Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) are investigating Sachin Vaze case very professionally and Param Bir Singh has been transferred as Mumbai Police Commissioner so that investigation can be done without any hindrance.

“National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) are investigating Sachin Vaze case very professionally. Action will be taken accordingly. Param Bir Singh has been transferred from the post of Mumbai Police Commissioner so that investigation can be done without any hindrance,” Deshmukh told media persons here.

Param Bir Singh was on Wednesday transferred and appointed as Director-General Home Guard and Hemant Nagrale appointed as the next Mumbai Police chief in his place.

The decision came after a meeting between NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday.

Earlier Deshmukh had said that appropriate action would be taken based on investigation agencies’ findings in the Antilia bomb scare case.

“The recovery of gelatin sticks from Scorpio jeep outside Mukesh Ambani’s residence and the Mansukh Hiren murder case is being investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). Action will be taken based on the truth that comes out of the investigation,” Deshmukh had told media persons.

Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Vaze, who is allegedly involved in the planting of an explosives-laden car outside industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s house, was arrested last week.

NIA on Wednesday confirmed that the person, seen in a CCTV grab walking near Mukesh Ambani’s residence on the night of 25 February when an explosive-laden vehicle was found, was Sachin Vaze.

NIA was investigating a CCTV visual that surfaced on Monday showing a person walking near Ambani’s residence on the night an explosive-laden vehicle was found wearing what initially seemed like a PPE (Personal protective equipment).

Vaze was transferred to the Citizen Facilitation Centre at the Mumbai Police Headquarters after his name came up in the death case of Mansukh Hiren, the owner of the vehicle that was found on Carmichael Raod outside Antilia on 25 February.

Hiren was found dead in a creek on 5 March in Thane.

Vaze was sent to NIA custody till 25 March on Sunday. He 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 interim relief and issued notice to the state government and posted the matter for hearing on 19 March.