Mumbai: A Mumbai Court on Saturday extended the NIA custody of Sachin Vaze, the suspended Mumbai Police officer arrested for his alleged role in parking the explosives-laden vehicle near Mukesh Ambani’s residence in February and in the Mansukh Hiran case. Vaze will remain now be in the custody of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) till April 7. The agency had sought an extension of his custody by six days. But the special NIA court granted only four days’ extension. Also Read - Mansukh Hiren Death Case: Hard Disk, Car Number Plates Found in Mumbai River; Vaze on Site as NIA Probe On
Earlier, Vaze was arrested in the probe into recovery of explosives from a car near industrialist Mukesh Ambani residence, remanded to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) custody till March 25. Waze has been arrested under IPC sections 286 (negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance) 465 (forgery), 473 (making or possessing counterfeit seal, etc with intent to commit forgery), 506(2) (punishment for criminal intimidation), 120 B (criminal conspiracy) and relevant provisions of the Explosive Substances Act, the official said. Also Read - Antilia Bomb Scare: Sachin Waze's NIA Custody Extended Till April 3; Says He Was Made Scapegoat
In its remand plea, the NIA submitted witnesses’s statements to show Waze’s involvement in the case. Also Read - Mukesh Ambani Bomb Scare: NIA Invokes UAPA Against Suspended Mumbai Police Officer Sachin Vaze
The central agency also told the court that his custodial interrogation was required to unearth the conspiracy and gather evidence. Talking to PTI, Waze’s advocate Sudeep Pasbola, however, said the arrest has been made only on the basis of suspicion and that there was no concrete evidence against him.
“The court remanded Waze till March 25, but kept the matter for further hearing on Monday. The court has asked the NIA to show what evidence it has collected and what is the stage of investigation,” Pasbola said.
Another defence lawyer, Sunny Punamia, submitted before the court that Waze's arrest was “completely illegal”.
“The argument placed before the court was that the accused has been arrested solely based on suspicion and no prima facie case is established in the FIR.
“Therefore, if no prima facie case is established on a bare reading of the FIR against the accused, the detainment and arrest of the accused itself is completely illegal and even one day’s incarceration of the accused would be violative of his constitutional rights,” he said.
The lawyer also said that Waze’s arrest was also illegal as the accused was not informed of the grounds of the arrest, and he wasn’t given an option to seek legal help and make a call to a relative of his choice.
On these grounds, his custodial interrogation is not warranted, it's arbitrary and the accused must be released on bail forthwith as the investigation has not been conducted on the settled principles of law, he added.