Sachin Vaze's aide ex-Mumbai API Riyaz Kazi dismissed from police service by Mumbai CP

Cracking down on ex-Mumbai API Riyaz Kazi, Mumbai police Commissioner dismissed him from police service on Monday, almost a month after his arrest in the Antilla bomb scare case. Issuing an order, Mumbai CP said that 'under Article 311(2)(b) of Constitution of India, API Riyaz Hisamuddin Kazi, posted at Local Arms, Mumbai, has been dismissed from Police service'. Kazi has been in judicial custody since April 11 when he was arrested.

Kazi dismissed from police service

On April 11, NIA arrested Kazi who was questioned several times by the agency and was transferred out of the Mumbai Police Crime Branch earlier in March. Kazi was seen in the CCTV footage at a number plate shop that was accessed exclusively by Republic TV where Kazi was seen entering a number plate shop in Mumbai and have a conversation with the owner of the outlet. He was also seen taking away DVDs and a computer from the shop, which he later allegedly destroyed at the Mithi river. Both ATS and NIA reportedly suspect that Kazi helped Sachin Vaze get the fake number plates. Initially, a special NIA court sent Kazi to judicial custody till April 23, which was later extended till May 5. 

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's 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. Vaze, meanwhile, 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. The ex-CP has already moved the Bombay HC seeking o quash the FIR as multiple complaints of bribery and misuse of his post have cropped up.