Amid Sachin Vaze's arrest & scandal, Milind Kathe takes charge as Mumbai CIU chief

Police Inspector Milind Madhukar Kathe has been appointed as the new head of the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) of the Mumbai Police. Earlier, the CIU was dealt a massive shakeup after API Sachin Vaze was arrested by the NIA for his alleged involvement in the Antilia bomb scare case and Mansukh Hiren death cases, with his squad from the CIU also being implicated to varying degrees, particularly Riyaz Kazi.

The appointment comes days after Hemant Nagrale succeeded Param Bir Singh as the Mumbai Police Commissioner. On Tuesday, the Mumbai Police posted 24 inspectors to crime branch units, whose heads were transferred last week following Vaze’s arrest. Inspector Milind Kathe has been appointed as the head of the CIU, while Inspector Yogesh Chavan has been tasked to handle the anti-extortion cell. 

Sachin Vaze is currently in NIA custody till April 3 in connection with an explosive-laden SUV that was found parked outside Antilia, the residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani, on February 25. The former API has been put under suspension since his arrest.

Antilia bomb scare and Sachin Vaze's arrest

On February 25, the security officer of Mukesh Ambani's residence in Mumbai informed the police of a suspicious Mahindra Scorpio parked near the premises. Following that, 20 sticks of gelatin and a threatening note typewritten in English were recovered from the SUV. A fresh twist emerged when Mansukh Hiren, the vehicle owner was found dead in a creek in Thane on March 5.

Hiren's wife accused Sachin Vaze of her husband's death. BJP leader and former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis produced call detail records that indicated that API Sachin Vaze was in touch with the deceased. Hiren's wife further revealed that the Scorpio was in Vaze's possession since November 2020. The NIA took over the Antilia Bomb Scare case on March 8 and registered an FIR in the matter. After questioning Vaze for over 12 hours, the NIA arrested him and remanded him to custody till March 25 and then subsequently till April 3 

The investigation so far also led to NIA examining various luxury cars used by the now-suspended API Sachin Vaze. In addition, the crime scene was also recreated. Moreover, the NIA also took over the case pertaining to Mansukh Hiren's death on March 20. The agency has recovered six cars associated with Vaze, and finally on Tuesday, one that belonged personally to him. On Sunday, the NIA also fished out the entire contents of Sachin Vaze's CIU office from the Mithi river.