Mansukh Hiren case: Ex-Mumbai cop Pradeep Sharma sent to custody till July 12 by NIA court

In a setback to former encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma, the Special NIA court on Monday has sent him to judicial custody till July 12 in connection to the Mansukh Hiren Murder case. Meanwhile, his two accomplices -  Satish Mothkuri and Manish Vasant Soni have been sent to NIA custody till July 1. All three were arrested on Thursday after NIA raided his Mumbai residence and seized some documents and electronic documents from Sharma's home.

NIA sends Pradeep Sharma to custody till July 12; accomplices till July 1

NIA has cited Pradeep Sharma's closeness with former Mumbai API Sachin Vaze while probing his role in businessman Mansukh Hiren's murder. According to NIA, the two - Satish and Manish have admitted their role in the murder of Mansukh Hiren while also admitting that they had contacted Pradeep Sharma and Sachin Vaze after eliminating Mansukh Hiren.  The NIA had previously arrested two more - Santosh Shelar and Anand Jadhav - in connection with the Mansukh Hiren Murder case.

Earlier in April, the NIA had recorded Sharma's statement after it emerged that he visited the Mumbai Police Commissioner's office on March 2 and allegedly met Sachin Vaze at the Crime Intelligence Unit office. He was reportedly questioned on whether he was part of the purported conversation where Vaze had asked Mansukh Hiren to take responsibility for planting the explosives. Suspended on multiple occasions, the ex-encounter specialist had taken voluntary retirement in 2019 and unsuccessfully contested the Maharashtra Assembly polls from Nalasopara on a Shiv Sena ticket.

Antilia bomb scare & Mansukh Hiren death case

On February 25, at around 3 PM, a car (green Scorpio) laden with explosive gelatin sticks along with a threatening letter was found by Mumbai Police, outside the Ambani residence - Antilia. A primary investigation from the CCTV revealed that the car had been parked near the residence in the intervening night prior. Later, on March 5, Mansukh Hiren, the owner of the car in question, was found dead at the Kalwa creek - with police claiming that he committed suicide by jumping into the stream. The deceased's wife, however, alleged murder and put forth that Sachin Vaze was actually using the car since November.

Shortly later, then-Mumbai API Sachin Vaze who had actually been put in charge of the Antilia case, was arrested by NIA on March 13 for his alleged involvement. While Vaze has been suspended again from police service amid the NIA arresting him and taking him into custody, the NIA took over both high-profile cases. Vaze has been sent to judicial custody at Taloja jail in connection with the Antilia bomb scare case, while the Maharashtra govt has ordered an inquiry into Param Bir Singh as to how Vaze went 'rouge' in the Antilia case while under Singh. Subsequently, Vaze, his aides Riyazuddin Kazi, Inspector Sunil Mane were arrested and dismissed from the force by Mumbai Police Commissioner.