In Vazegate, Pradeep Sharma sent to 11 days NIA custody; accomplices admit Hiren's murder

In a breaking development, former Mumbai top cop Pradeep Sharma and two others have been sent to NIA custody till June 28 (11 days) after being presented before the court by National Investigating Agency (NIA). He was arrested on Thursday morning by the NIA in connection with the murder of businessman Mansukh Hiren, a significant plot in the larger Antilia bomb scare case. Although the NIA had sought 14 days custody, the court has granted 11 days.

The NIA submitted before the court that Pradeep Sharma's custody is required because it has come to light that he was involved in the businessman Mansukh Hiren's murder. The NIA also cited Pradeep Sharma's closeness with tainted former Mumbai Police API Sachin Vaze who is currently in Taloja jail after being arrested months earlier in the Antilia bomb scare and Mansukh Hiren murder cases. The other two arrested along with Pradeep Sharma are Satish Mothkuri and Manish Vasant Soni. The NIA had previously arrested two more - Santosh Shelar and Anand Jadhav - in connection with the Mansukh Hiren Murder case.

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 argued before the court that it needs custody of Pradeep Sharma to investigate the entire racket and that Pradeep Sharma can be confronted with Satish, Manish, Santosh Shelar and Anand Jadhav.

"We need to confront them with IP data, footages, and cash seized. Gelatin laden Scorpio incident also needs to be probed. They are also involved in planting explosives in the vehicle," the NIA said.

While Pradeep Sharma's advocate refuted his involvement in the murder of Mansukh Hiren, NIA questioned what was the need for the two accomplices to call Pradeep Sharma if he was not involved in the murder. NIA submitted that both the accomplices (Santosh and Anand) showed the location where Mansukh's body was dumped. The NIA has seized a huge volume of call data records and IP data among other incriminating evidence at Pradeep Sharma's residence. The NIA said Pradeep Sharma is in possession of an unlicenced revolver, the weapon was licenced since 1990 which has not been renewed.

While defending himself over his association with Santosh Jadhav, Pradeep Sharma said Santosh has been his informant for the past 12 years. "We both do social work and I am a Shiv Sena leader," said Pradeep Sharma.

Arguing against NIA custody, Pradeep Sharma's lawyer said Pradeep was always cooperative in the investigation. "They (NIA) searched his residence and his offices. They want to investigate, they can, but giving custody is not something fair," Pradeep Sharma's advocate said.

In a rebuttal to his claim that Pradeep Sharma always cooperated with the probe, NIA said, "Pradeep Sharma was called for inquiry, but he misled the investigation. Now we arrested him because we have the concrete evidence and to unearth the entire conspiracy we need 14 days custody."

After getting custody of Pradeep Sharma, the NIA also filed an application for custody of former Mumbai police officer Sunil Mane while submitting that they want to confront Sunil Mane with Pradeep Sharma and other accomplices. Sunil Mane dismissed from Mumbai Police after he was arrested by the NIA in connection with the Antilia bomb scare.

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Update: NIA Press Release

NIA Arrests three key conspirators in the case of recovery of explosives laden vehicle at Carmicheal Road, Mumbai (RC-01/2021/NIA/MUM)

Today (17.06.2021): NIA has arrested three accused persons involved in the larger conspiracy of RC-01/2021/NIA/MUM namely (i) Satish Tirupati Mothkuri @ Tanni Bhai @ Vicky baba, Age 40 yrs, s/o Tirupati Mothkuri, r/o- Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Nagar, Malad (East), Mumbai  (ii) Manish Vasant Soni, Age 46 yrs, s/o Vasant Tribhuvandas Soni, r/o Dhiraj Kaveri, Building No.1, Flat No. 206, Chincholi Bandar Road, Malad (West), Mumbai, and (iii) Pradeep Rameshwar Sharma, Age 59 yrs, Son of Rameshwar Sharma, r/o Flat No. 601, Bhagwan Bhawan, J. B. Nagar, Andheri (East), Mumbai. 

2.   The case was originally registered as FIR No. 35 dated 25.02.2021 at PS Gamdevi, Mumbai under sections of IPC and Explosive Substances Act relating to recovery of explosives in a Scorpio car at Carmicheal Road opposite Shikhar Kunj. NIA had re-registered the case as RC-01/2021/NIA/MUM dated 08.03.2021 and taken over the investigation. Subsequently NIA also took over the investigation of FIR No. 11 & 12 dated 07.03.2021 of PS ATS Kalachowki which were connected offences to RC-01/2021/NIA/MUM. 

3.   In this case, NIA has already arrested seven accused persons earlier. The above three accused persons were produced before NIA Special Court Mumbai today and have been taken on twelve days of NIA custody. 

4.   Further investigation in the case continues.

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Antilia Bomb Scare and Mansukh Hiren murder

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, 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, his superior - then Mumbai CP Param Bir Singh was transferred to Home Guards due to 'lapses' in the probe. He then sent an 8-page letter to CM Thackeray, HM Anil Deshmukh and Gov Koshyari alleging that Deshmukh had demanded from Sachin Vaze to collect Rs 100 crore from 1750 pubs in Mumbai per month. Deshmukh was forced to resign from his post after a CBI inquiry was ordered against him by the Bombay HC, since upheld by the Supreme Court. Vaze, meanwhile, has been sent to judicial custody at Taloja jail till April 23 in connection with the Antilia bomb scare case, while Maharashtra govt has ordered an inquiry into Param Bir Singh as to how Vaze went 'rouge' in the Antilia case while under Singh. The CBI is also probing Anil Deshmukh whereas the ED has also filed a case.