Antilia bomb scare case: SC dismisses ex-cop Pradeep Sharma's discharge plea

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a plea filed by former IPS officer Pradeep Rameshwar Sharma against a high court order rejecting his application for discharge in the 2021 Antilia bomb scare case and subsequent murder of businessman Mansukh Hiren Sharma is chargesheeted for his alleged involvement in connection with Hiren's murder case following the February 25, 2021 bomb scare near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's multi-storey residence 'Antilia' in south Mumbai.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta told senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Sharma, that the court can understand bail or anticipatory bail but discharge in this case can't be granted at this stage.

Rohatgi submitted that the only allegation against him was that he met another former police officer, Sachin Waze in a conspiracy to eliminate Hiren.

"I have known him (Waze) since I was in force but I am nowhere involved in the murder of Mansukh Hiren," he submitted.

The bench, however, told Rohatgi that the court was not inclined to interfere with the high court order.

On March 10, the high court dismissed an appeal of Sharma, 64, against rejection of his discharge application by the NIA special sessions court in Mumbai, in the Hiren murder case.

The trial court in February, 2025, rejected Sharma's plea to drop the case, citing strong circumstantial evidence linking him to the crime.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the high court opposed Sharma's plea for discharge and his appeal against the trial court order.

The agency had alleged that Sharma entered into a conspiracy with prime accused Waze, to eliminate Hiren.

It had said that the SUV parked with gelatin sticks on Mumbai's Carmichael Road allegedly was Hiren's stolen vehicle.

Sharma contended that he was not an accused in either the alleged theft case or the bomb scare case.

He was arrested on June 17, 2021 only in connection with the alleged murder case.

On August 23, 2023, the top court granted bail to Sharma, who was arrested in connection with the case.

On February 25, 2021, an explosives-laden SUV was found near 'Antilia' in south Mumbai.

While the probe was on, Hiren, who claimed that the SUV was last in his possession before it was stolen, was found dead under mysterious circumstances in a creek in neighbouring Thane on March 5, 2021.

Investigating agencies alleged that Sharma, along with dismissed police officer Waze and some others, had hatched the entire conspiracy.

Sharma along with police officers Daya Nayak, Vijay Salaskar and Ravindranath Angre was a member of the Mumbai Police's encounter squad that killed over 300 criminals in numerous encounters. Salaskar had died during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

On February 15, 2025, the special court refused to discharge Sharma from the cases, saying the court cannot, at this stage, accept his contention that he was falsely implicated.

Prima facie the case pertains to a larger conspiracy allegedly hatched by the accused persons, and it can not be concluded at this stage that the evidence of the witnesses and documentary evidence were fabricated, the trial court had said.