Antilia bomb scare case: NIA gets custody of cop Sunil Mane

A special National Investigation Agency court in Mumbai on Friday remanded police officer Sunil Mane to the central probe agency's custody till April 28 in the Antilia bomb scare case, and also extended till May 5 the judicial remand of suspended assistant inspector Sachin Vaze.

The NIA had, earlier in the day, arrested inspector Sunil Mane in connection with the recovery of an explosives- laden SUV near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence here and the murder of businessman Mansukh Hiran.

Appearing for NIA, special public prosecutor Prakash Shetty told the court that the central agency needed to question Mane and obtain his electronic devices, call records etc, since Mane was "involved" in Hiran's alleged killing.


The agency told the special court that Mane was probably present at the spot where Hiran was killed, the allegation being denied by Mane's counsel, advocate Aditya Gore.

Gore told the court Mane had been questioned by NIA on previous occasions as well and that he had been cooperating with the probe.

Mane is the third police officer to be arrested in the case, after Vaze and the latter's Crime Branch colleague Riyaz Kazi.

Both Vaze and Kazi are presently in judicial custody.

The NIA is probing the role played by Vaze and others in an incident in February this year when an explosives laden vehicle was found parked near Antilia, the residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani.

Hiran was found dead a few days later in neighbouring Thane.