Antilia Bomb Case: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday claimed in the High Court that former police officer Pradeep Sharma is the main conspirator in the 'brutal murder' of Thane-based businessman Mansukh Hiren. Hiren was seen as the weak link in the 'big conspiracy to terrorize' industrialist Mukesh Ambani's family.
The NIA, in an affidavit filed in the court, said that Sharma, along with other accused in the case, held several meetings in the police commissioner's office premises where the alleged conspiracy was hatched. He claimed that sacked police officer Sachin Waje had given Rs 45 lakh to Sharma to get Hiren killed.
Opposing Sharma's bail plea, the NIA said he was not innocent and had committed crimes like criminal conspiracy, murder, and acts of terror. A division bench of Justice AS Chandurkar and Justice GA Sanap fixed July 17 for the next hearing on the petition.
Was Pradeep Sharma also involved in the conspiracy?
On February 25, 2021, an SUV vehicle containing explosives was found near Mukesh Ambani's South Mumbai residence 'Antilia'. The owner of the vehicle was Hiren, who was found dead on March 5 last year at a pass in Thane. "Pradeep Sharma was an active member of the gang which hatched a conspiracy to terrorize people including the Ambani family and killed Mansukh Hiren as he was the weak link in the conspiracy," the NIA said in its affidavit.
The agency claimed that Hiren was aware of the entire conspiracy (related to parking the car outside Antilia) and the accused (Sharma and Waje) were afraid that Hiren might spill the secret, which could land them in trouble. Sharma, a former 'encounter specialist', was arrested by the NIA on June 17, 2021, and is currently in judicial custody.
Was Sharma involved in the crime?
The NIA, in its affidavit, said that Sharma and other accused in the case have committed a heinous and serious offense under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). He said, "It is quite clear from the evidence gathered that Pradeep Sharma was directly involved in the crime." According to the NIA, Hiren had refused to take the responsibility for parking the car outside Antilia. He was murdered.
The agency said that the larger conspiracy, in this case, involves parking a vehicle with explosives outside Antilia and sending threatening letters in the name of 'Jaish-ul-Hind' to terrorize the Ambani family and the local people. The NIA said that the accused tried to show that Hiren had committed suicide.
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