Tribune News Service
New Delhi, June 17

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday arrested former encounter specialist of Mumbai police and Shiv Sena leader Pradeep Sharma for his alleged involvement in the case related to recovery of an explosive-laden vehicle near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s house Antilia in the city.

The NIA claimed that Mansukh Hiren, a Thane businessman, was killed at Sharma and former Mumbai top cop Sachin Vaze’s behest as part of a “larger conspiracy”.

Besides Sharma, the NIA has also arrested Satish Tirupati Mothkuri, alias Tanni Bhai, and Manish Vasant Soni Chincholi, both residents of Malad area of Mumbai, who allegedly killed Hiren.

“All three arrested were today produced before the NIA special court, which sent them to 12-day police custody,” said a senior agency official.

The agency got “concrete evidence” against Sharma after the interrogation of Santosh Shelar and Anand Jadhav, who were arrested on June 11, said special public prosecutor Sunil Gonsalves.

Satish and Soni killed Hiren in a red Tavera car where Shelar and Jadhav were also present, and later the body was dumped in a creek, the NIA told the court. Further, the “murderers” called up Vaze and Sharma right after killing Hiren on March 4, it said.

The case was originally registered on February 15 under various sections of the IPC and Explosive Substances Act related to recovery of explosives in a Scorpio car at Carmichael Road in Mumbai.