The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has formally opposed the discharge application filed by dismissed police officer Sachin Waze in the 2021 Antilia bomb scare and Mansukh Hiren murder case. In a comprehensive 145-page written response, the federal probe agency asserted that Waze was “directly involved” in the commission of the crime and that there exists a “prima facie true case” against him, rendering him ineligible for discharge.
The matter originates from February 25, 2021, when an SUV laden with explosives was discovered near ‘Antilia,’ the south Mumbai residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani. Shortly thereafter, on March 5, 2021, businessman Mansukh Hiren—who was in possession of the vehicle—was found dead in a creek in Thane. Sachin Waze, then a member of the Mumbai Police, was arrested in March 2021 for his alleged role in the conspiracy and remains in judicial custody.
In his discharge application, Waze contended that the proceedings against him are “null and void” due to a “want of jurisdiction.” He argued that the NIA Act was invoked “arbitrarily” without the requisite “subjective satisfaction” regarding the gravity of the offences. A significant portion of Waze’s plea focused on the alleged lack of valid sanctions for his prosecution under the anti-terror law.
Rejecting Waze’s contentions, the NIA characterized the grounds raised as neither “cogent” nor “valid,” describing them as “devoid of merits.” The agency maintained that the offences committed as part of the “larger conspiracy” are of an “extremely serious nature.”
The NIA’s response detailed the specific charges, stating:
“He [Waze] along with his co-accused persons committed offences punishable for the act of conspiracy to commit a terrorist act, commission of terrorist act, member of a terrorist gang, kidnapping or abducting for murder, murder of Mansukh Hiran, destruction of evidence…”
The probe agency further emphasized that from the “facts and circumstances” of the investigation, it is “crystal clear” that the former policeman played a central role in the execution of the crimes. The NIA urged the court to consider the “seriousness and gravity” of the case rather than the technicalities raised by the accused.
The NIA has requested the court to dismiss Waze’s application with costs and proceed to frame charges against him and his co-accused “in the interest of justice.” The court’s decision on the discharge plea will determine whether the trial proceeds against Waze under the stringent provisions of the anti-terror Act.
