Antilia Bomb Scare: Court Frames Charges Against Ex-Cops Waze, Sharma in Hiran Murder Trial

A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai on Saturday framed charges against 10 individuals, including former police officers Sachin Waze and Pradeep Sharma, in connection with the 2021 Antilia bomb scare and the subsequent murder of businessman Mansukh Hiran.

Judge Chakor Baviskar read out the charges after all accused pleaded not guilty. The trial will cover offences under the Indian Penal Code, including murder, extortion, destruction of evidence, and criminal conspiracy, as well as provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Explosive Substances Act.

Besides Waze and Sharma, the accused are Riyazuddin Kazi, Sunil Mane, Vinayak Shinde, Anand Jadhav, Satish Tirupati Mothkuri, Manish Vasantbhai Soni, Naresh Gaur, and Santosh Shelar. Of these, Kazi, Mane, and Shinde are also former police personnel.

The prosecution has alleged that the accused formed a 'terrorist gang' and entered into a criminal conspiracy between February and March 2021.

The case dates back to February 25, 2021, when an SUV containing explosives was found near Antilia, the south Mumbai residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani. Hiran, who claimed the vehicle had been stolen from him, was found dead in a creek in neighbouring Thane on March 5, 2021. A few days later, Waze, once dubbed an 'encounter specialist' in the Mumbai Police, was arrested.

According to the NIA, the accused allegedly posted a threat on the Telegram channel 'Jaishish-Ul-Hind' stating 'Agle baar connect ho kar ayega' (next time the bomb's wires will be connected), to create the impression that a terrorist organisation was behind the incident.

The NIA's draft charges, filed earlier, identified Waze as the mastermind. His alleged motive was to terrorise wealthy individuals and extort money to meet a monthly target of Rs 100 crore reportedly set by a high-ranking political figure, while also attempting to regain his 'lost glory' as a 'super cop'. The agency further alleged that Waze conspired to eliminate Hiran because Hiran refused to take the blame for the explosives and was considered a 'weak link' who could expose the conspiracy.

Pradeep Sharma, another former 'encounter specialist' officer, allegedly played a key role in the conspiracy to abduct and kill Hiran. The NIA claimed that Sharma procured SIM cards and directed co-accused Shelar, Jadhav, Mothkuri, and Soni to dispose of Hiran's body in the Thane creek.

To cover up the crime, the accused allegedly destroyed critical evidence, including digital video recorders, CCTV footage, and the victim's mobile phone. The operation was partially funded through extortion, according to the draft charges. The conspirators used 'benami' SIM cards and unregistered mobile phones to conceal their identities. The police personnel among them allegedly created fake alibis by staging midnight raids and preparing 'nil panchnamas' to show they were on duty away from the crime scenes.

While Sharma, Kazi, Gaur, and Mane are currently out on bail, Waze and the remaining five accused remain in judicial custody. The trial will now proceed based on the evidence presented by the NIA.