The NIA has sensationally arrested Mumbai Police officer, Sachin Vaze, who had famously arrested Republic TV founder Arnab Goswami in an attempt to murder case. Vaze has been arrested in connection with the discovery of an explosive-laden SUV from outside the residence of India’s richest businessman Mukesh Ambani.
A brief statement by the NIA, which recently, took over the case, read, “Sachin Waze arrested in NIA In Case RC no. 01/2021/NIA/MUM under section 286, 465, 473, 506(2), 120 B of IPC, and 4(a)(b)(I) Explosive Substances Act 1908.”
The decision to take over the case by the NIA had come in the aftermath of the suspicious death of one Mansukh Hiren, the owner of the explosive-laden SUV in a creek. According to the Thane Police, Hiren had died by suicide.
Last month, a car full of explosives was found parked outside the Mumbai house of India’s richest businessman, Mukesh Ambani. Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh had confirmed the news and said that the Crime Branch of the Mumbai Police had launched an investigation. The discovery of explosives was made weeks after Shloka Mehta, Mukesh Ambani’s daughter-in-law, gave birth to a baby boy.
Vaze had led the team that arrested Arnab Goswami of Republic TV on 4 November last year from his residence. He was also investigating Goswami and his TV channel’s role in the TRP scam.
Vaze is likely to be produced before an NIA court on Sunday. He had applied for anticipatory bail but the court posted the matter for hearing for 19 March.
An editorial in the Shiv Sena’s mouthpiece, Saamana, had recently attacked the Centre’s Narendra Modi government for targeting Vaze because he had opened the attempt to suicide case against Goswami and was probing the TRP case against the Republic TV founder.
Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Friday had announced Vaze’s transfer from the Crime Intelligence Unit. “Police officer Sachin Vaze will be removed from his current posting in the crime branch till the investigation is not completed. I am taking this decision in view of the rising demand from the opposition,” Deshmukh was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.