After the National Investigation Agency took over the Mukesh Ambani Bomb case, new finding show that the police official Sachin Vaze to have confiscated his own housing society’s digital video recorder (DVR) whilst investigating the case with the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU). The National Investigative Agency (NIA), which later arrested him, is investigating whether or not the CCTV video from the DVR was tampered with. It is also investigating the likelihood that Vaze took the SUV to his own residential compound.
On February 25, a Mahindra Scorpio carrying gelatin sticks was discovered on Mumbai’s Carmichael Lane, near Ambani’s Antilia house. It included a hazard letter sent to the Reliance Industries CEO’s family. Vaze, an Assistant Police Inspector with the CIU at the time, was the case’s first investigator. The vehicle was identified as belonging to Mansukh Hiran, a Thane-based auto parts dealer who declared it stolen on February 17.
Hiran was discovered dead in a Mumbra creek on March 5. His wife said that Mr Vaze borrowed the same car for four months before returning it on February 5. She also suspected the cop of playing a part in her husband’s murder, prompting the NIA to take over the investigation into the threat to Ambani. The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad was investigating the businessman’s death and the theft of his vehicle.
Vaze was detained on Saturday by the NIA, just days after being moved from the CIU to the Resident Facilitation Centre at the Mumbai police headquarters. He was discharged from the military yesterday.
The NIA is now investigating whether Mr Vaze would seize his own residential society’s DVR and CCTV video. This was brought to light after the department paid a visit to the area as part of the investigation. It believes he did it to destroy all evidence against him after his links to Mr Hiran were revealed.
In this respect, the department is also investigating CIU Assistant Police Inspector Riyaz Kazi.