Mansukh Hiren was co-conspirator in Ambani bomb scare case: NIA

The NIA probe also found that Vaze had given the total amount of Rs 76 lakh to his aides

Mansukh Hiren was a co-conspirator along with suspended police officer Sachin Vaze in planting the explosives-laden SUV outside the south Mumbai residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani in February, the NIA told the special court here on Wednesday.

Seeking extension of Vaze's custody, Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh told the court that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had come across a bank account in the name of a company floated by Vaze which had the balance of Rs 1.5 crore.

The NIA probe also found that Vaze had given the total amount of Rs 76 lakh- Rs 40 lakh and Rs 36 lakh- to his aides.

Read | Sachin Vaze was present at meeting where Hiren's murder was planned, NIA says

The NIA is probing the cases of planting of the explosives-laden SUV outside the south Mumbai residence of Ambani and the subsequent murder of Thane-based businessman Hiren, the purported owner of that vehicle.

The probe agency said it wanted to question Vaze whether part of this money was used to procure the gelatin sticks which were planted in the SUV parked outside Ambani's residence on February 25.

Singh said the NIA need to question Vaze, a suspended assistant police inspector, about the source of such a huge amount and whether it was exrotred by the police officer. After listening to the arguments of the NIA and Vaze's lawyer, special NIA court judge P R Sitre extended his custody to the probe agency till April 9.

Singh said the NIA needs more time to unearth the cash trail from the existing bank accounts of Vaze.

The NIA said Vaze and other accused had hatched the conspiracy to eliminate Hiren on March 2 and March 3.

Hiren was a co-conspirator in the Mukesh Ambani bomb scare case, and was killed later, Singh said, adding the NIA also needs to find the motive behind Hiren's murder.

Vaze is directly connected with the Hiren murder case, Singh added.

Hiren's body was found in a creek in Thane district on March 5.

Vaze's lawyer Abad Ponda opposed the NIA plea seeking extension of Vaze's custody.

Vaze, who was arrested by the NIA on March 13, was produced before the special NIA court judge on Wednesday.

Two other accused in the case -- suspended police constable Vinayak Shinde and cricket bookie Naresh Gor --were remanded to 14-day judicial custody by the court.

Meanwhile, the court also allowed the CBI to question Vaze in connection with its preliminary enquiry into the allegations of corruption levelled by senior police officer Param Bir Singh against former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh.

Earlier in the day CBI had approached the court to probe Vaze, while he was in the NIA's custody.

In a related development, the special court directed the NIA to provide the required medical aid and to produce his medical report by April 9.

The court's direction came on the plea filed by Vaze seeking angiography.