MHA likely to okay prosecution of Sachin Vaze, 5 others under UAPA

The home ministry is likely to approve NIA’s request for prosecution of dismissed police officer Sachin Vaze and five others under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, officials said. Section 45 of the UAPA requires sanction from the Centre before prosecution proceedings against a person begins. The National Investigation Agency is set to file a charge sheet within a few days.

The charge sheet will accuse Vaze and others of planting an explosives-laden car near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence and for murder of auto parts dealer Mansukh Hiren, according to MHA officials.

A Mumbai special court had on Monday allowed Vaze to undergo treatment at a private hospital for his heart ailment at his own expense. The court, however, rejected NIA’s plea for his custody along with another official, Sunil Mane, for joint interrogation to unearth the role of a suspected person in the conspiracy. After taking over the probe, NIA had arrested Vaze on March 13.


When it sought extension of custody of all 6 accused in June, contending that the investigation was enormous and as most of the accused were trained policemen they had evaded questions from time to time, the court accepted NIA’s plea and granted it two more months’ custody. UAPA requires the probe agency to complete the investigation by 180 days and file a charge sheet. The NIA charge sheet is likely to allege conspiracy and destruction of evidence by Vaze and co-accused. It is also likely to accuse the defendants under the Explosive Substances Act and Section 286, Sec 465 (punishment for forgery), Section 473 (making or possessing counterfeit seal, etc., with intent to commit forgery punishable otherwise), Section 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and Section 120 B (punishment of criminal conspiracy) of the IPC.