Sachin Waze met Anil Deshmukh hours before explosive-laden vehicle parked outside Antilia: NIA chargesheet

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 9 (ANI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) chargesheet states that suspended Mumbai police officer Sachin Waze met the then Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh at the latter's official residence hours before planting explosive-laden vehicle at Carmichael Road in South Mumbai, near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence 'Antilia' on February 25 this year.

According to the NIA chargesheet, Waze met Deshmukh alone at the latter's official bungalow in Mumbai while his team members of the Crime Investigation Unit (CIU) stayed back at the waiting room. The meeting between Waze and Deshmukh lasted for around 50 minutes.

This part of NIA's chargesheet is the statement of a truncated witness who is apparently a police officer who followed instructions of Sachin Waze on the day when an explosives-laden vehicle was planted outside.

Notably, during the entire episode, Waze was using a separate vehicle.

NIA arrested Waze in March in connection with the investigation into the recovery of explosives from a car parked near Mukesh Ambani's house in Mumbai. Waze is the prime accused in placing an explosives-laden vehicle near Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani's house Antilia in Mumbai on February 25.

Waze was also accused of the murder of Mansukh Hiren, the owner of the vehicle that was found containing explosives materials outside Antilia. Hiren was found dead on March 5 in Thane.

Waze, former Assistant Police Inspector in the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU), was later transferred to the Citizen Facilitation Centre at Mumbai Police Headquarters after his name came up in Mansukh Hiren's death case.

Waze was dismissed from service in May 2021. (ANI)