Mumbai [Maharashtra], March 17 (ANI): National Investigative Agency (NIA) on Wednesday confirmed that the person, seen in a CCTV grab walking near Reliance Industries chairperson Mukesh Ambani’s residence on the night of February 25 when an explosive-laden vehicle was found, was Sachin Waze.
“In the CCTV footage, Sachin Waze could be seen with his head covered with a large handkerchief so that no one could identify him. He was wearing an oversized kurta-pajama, and not PPE coverall, in an attempt to mask his body language and face,” the NIA added.
“A laptop was seized from the cabin of Sachin Waze in a raid day before yesterday but all the data in it was already deleted. He was asked for his cellphone and he had said that he had dropped it somewhere. But the fact is that he had intentionally thrown it away,” NIA said.
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.
Waze 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 February 25.
Hiren was found dead in a creek on March 5 in Thane.
Waze was sent to NIA custody till March 25, 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 March 12 but the court refused to give Waze interim relief and issued notice to the state government and posted the matter for hearing on March 19. (ANI)

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 17 (ANI): Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Supremo Mayawati on Wednesday appealed to the Centre and state governments to make COVID-19 vaccine free for the underprivileged.
“In view of the difficulties caused by COVID-19 pandemic, BSP appeals to the Centre and all state governments to make the vaccine available for the poor, working and middle class free of cost,” Mayawati tweeted.
She also welcomed the meeting of all Chief Ministers called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“However, the central and state governments should make the corona vaccination campaign in the country faster and easier under the national policy,” Mayawati added.
PM Modi will hold a virtual meeting with chief ministers on Wednesday amid a rise in COVID-19 cases in some parts of the country. (ANI)

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 17 (ANI): The Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the Karnataka Police arrested two Nigerians for alleged drug peddling on Wednesday.
“Two Nigerian nationals arrested in Bengaluru and seized drugs including ecstasy and LSD worth Rs 75 lakh from their possession,” said CCB, Bengaluru City.
The CCB also seized ecstasy and Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) worth 75 lakh.
A case has been registered under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and Foreigners Act.
Further investigation is underway. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 17 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition filed by Bharat Bhoomi Bachao Sangharsh Samiti (BBBSS), seeking directions to the authorities concerned to ensure equal opportunity of dialogue and of being heard in connection with farmers’ issues relating to forcible land acquisition.
A three-judge bench of the Apex Court, headed by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sharad Arvind Bobde, and comprising justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian, refused to entertain the petition.
“We are dismissing the petition, we are not casting any aspersions on you,” the Bench said.
The petitioner, BBBSS, had moved the Apex Court seeking appropriate directions and orders to the authorities concerned, including the Union of India (UOI), to give equal opportunity of dialogue and for seeking resolution of farmer’s issues relating to forcible land acquisition.
The plea also sought the formation of a high-powered Committee in the matter.
Advocate MC Dhingra appeared for the petitioner. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 17 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice to all respondents on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), seeking direction to upload the Daily Order Sheets within the prescribed time limit.
The Division Bench of Justice DN Patel and Justice Jasmeet Singh, while seeking responses from the Union of India and others said, we will put our house in order by the end of next month and slated the matter for April 30.
The PIL was filed by advocate Sanser Pal Singh through lawyers Yogesh Swaroop and Kapil Kishor Kaushik.
In the petition, Singh has sought the issuance of appropriate direction to implement the directions passed by the Delhi High Court and Supreme Court in regard to uploading of Daily Orders in due time and to take appropriate action against the erring court officers or staff in case of default.
The petition has also sought to issue necessary guidelines in this regards. The petitioner said that his PIL is for the benefit of the lawyers, litigants and the public at large.
The petitioner said that like most other advocates and litigants, he was aggrieved due to non-uploading of the Order Sheet on the online portal/website of courts and therefore the petitioner has to inspect court files to read the court orders which consumes a lot of time petitioner as well as of the courts and court staff, papers and court fee also.
“The such deliberate act of non-compliance of the above orders/circulars cause inconvenience to the lawyers, litigants and public at large,” the petition said. (ANI)

Rameshwaram (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 17 (ANI): S Vedantam, President of the Tamil Nadu Vishva Hindu Parishad on Wednesday said that Rajnikanth should support spiritual politics and urged the people of Tamil Nadu to choose a party that upholds spiritual values in politics.
Vedantam told ANI, “The upcoming election is an important election because of the absence of stalwarts in Tamil politics former chief Ministers Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa. Essentially it is an election to choose whether to be a spiritual state or a non-spiritual state.”
“When MGR split from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and started his own party, he openly pursued spiritual politics. He used to go to the Mookambika temple and was enthusiastic in his worship,” he said.
“Similarly, Jayalalithaa continued her spirituality without making it public. But it was Rajinikanth who openly said that it was “spiritual politics” that he was pursuing. He left a lasting impression on the people that made them feel the need for spiritual politics which is why he has an important role to play in this election,” he further said.
“It was up to him whether we take a path to a corrupt anarchic rule or to a politics that upheld spiritual values,” he added.
Vedantam said that the people of Tamil Nadu have high expectations of Rajinikanth. “He was unable to enter politics due to ill health but the public still remembers the issues he raised,” he said.
“Realising his role, Rajnikanth should support spiritual politics,” he added. (ANI)