MUMBAI, Apr 11:
The NIA today arrested police officer Riyaz Kazi, an associate of suspended cop Sachin Waze, in connection with the case of an explosives-laden SUV found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence, a police official said.
After his arrest, Kazi was produced before a holiday court here which remanded him in the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) custody till April 16 for further probe into the case.
“Assistant police inspector (API) Kazi was called for questioning again by the NIA today and later placed under arrest,” the police official said.
He was previously also questioned multiple times by the NIA in connection with the case of the SUV with explosives found near Ambani’s multi-storey residence ‘Antilia’ in south Mumbai on February 25 and the subsequent death of Thane businessman Mansukh Hiran.
Kazi was shunted out of the Mumbai Crime Branch last month, the official said.
After Kazi was presented in the court today, the NIA told the court that he was arrested for destroying evidences and that he is involved in the conspiracy of the case along with Waze, the main accused in the case.
While seeking his remand for 10 days, the prosecution said that when the NIA started conducting a parallel probe soon after explosives-laden vehicle was found, the accused allegedly killed Hiran fearing that he will disclose their plan.
The prosecution also submitted that Kazi was well aware of the crime.
After the case was transferred to the central agency, the accused started destroying evidences like CPU and DVR and others, the NIA told the court.
Kazi’s custody is required to confront him with every recovered article, documents, witnesses. Waze has given half the facts and Kazi’s interrogation is required to find out under whose guidance he destroyed the evidence, it said.
He also needs to be interrogated about the source of the gelatin sticks (found in the SUV). (PTI)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
