Ambani terror scare case: Mumbai Police suspends Sunil Mane

Inspector Sunil Mane on Saturday became the third Mumbai police officer to be suspended from the force in connection with the Ambani home security scare case in over a month.

Mane’s suspension came a day after he was arrested by the NIA, which submitted a report to the Mumbai Police about the charges under which he had been booked. “As per procedure, Mane has been suspended from the force,” a senior police officer said.

Sources said that the process of dismissing suspended assistant police inspector (API) Sachin Waze – also arrested in connection to the case — is underway. Since he is an API-ranked officer, the dismissal procedure is being carried out by the Mumbai Police commissioner.

Meanwhile on Saturday, besides carrying out searches at his office, a team from the NIA took Mane to the Mumbra Reti Bandar creek to recreate the scene of crime and his alleged role in the murder of Thane-based car shopowner Mansukh Hiran.

Hiran, a close friend of Waze, was found dead in the creek days after the Scorpio he was using was found parked outside the Mukesh Ambani residence on February 25 with gelatin sticks and a threat letter.

According to NIA, Hiran was taken to Reti Bandar in a vehicle that was being tailed by another vehicle on March 4. Mane is believed to have been travelling in the second car.

The NIA suspects that it was Mane who made a phone call to Hiran on March 4, asking him to come to Ghodbunder road. Hiran’s body was found floating in the creek the next day.

The NIA also suspects that Mane was instrumental in providing a SIM card and a phone to a former policeman, also a suspect in the case.
Sources said that based on Mane’s questioning, a few more arrests are likely to be made in the coming week.

So far, NIA has made five arrests in the case. While initially the central agency was focussing on those involved in parking the Scorpio outside the Ambani residence on February 25, it is now zeroing in on the conspiracy to murder Hiran.