Five SIM cards were used in the conspiracy to murder Thane-resident Mansukh Hiran, who was linked to the vehicle parked outside Antilia, the residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani. In its detailed order granting bail to a 31-year-old man booked in the Antilia terror scare case, a special court has said that prima facie, it appears he was not aware that the SIM cards he procured were being used for an illegal purpose.
Naresh Gaur is alleged to have procured 14 SIM cards of which five were found at the office of dismissed assistant police inspector Sachin Waze. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) claims that the five SIM cards were used in the conspiracy to murder Thane-resident Mansukh Hiran, who was linked to the vehicle parked outside Antilia, the residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani. The NIA claimed that Gaur procured the SIM cards from Gujarat and provided them to co-accused, dismissed constable Vinayak Shinde, who gave them to Waze.
“Prima facie, it appears that the applicant was unaware that the SIM cards were being used for the said illegal purpose. He has acted as per directions of his owner. Nothing is on record to show that he has ever contacted the accused Sachin Waze. He has no direct connection or contact with accused Sachin Waze. No Call Data Records reflects to that effect,” Special Judge A T Wankhede said while granting bail to Gaur on Saturday. The court relied on the statement of a protected witness, who is the employer of Gaur, about directions given to him to procure the SIM cards.
So far, 10 accused have been arrested in the case. Gaur is the first accused to be granted bail.
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