The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has seized a black Mercedes-Benz car, which allegedly used to be driven by arrested police officer Sachin Waze and recovered from it the original number place of the explosive-laden SUV that was placed outside industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence ‘Antilia’ on February 25.
The anti-terror agency has also recovered Rs 5 lakh cash, a note-counting machine, some clothes.
“NIA today seized a black Mercedes-Benz car. We have recovered the number plate that was on the Scorpio car, over ₹ 5 Lakh in cash, a note-counting machine and some clothes…Sachin Waze used to drive this car… the ownership of the car is under investigation,” senior NIA officer Anil Shukla told reporters.
NIA is probing the recovery of an explosives-laden Scorpio SUV near Ambani’s residence in Mumbai on February 25. It also had a threat note to him and his wife Nita Ambani. The car was traced to a Thane-based auto parts dealer Mansukh Hiran, who had filed a stolen report with the police on February 17.
Hiren was found dead in a creek on March 5 in Thane. His wife alleged that Sachin Waze, the first investigating officer in the bomb scare case, had used the car for four months and returned it on February 5. She also accused the officer of having a role in her husband’s death.
The NIA, which took over the case from the Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad, last week arrested Sachin Waze for his alleged role in placing the SUV near Ambani’s residence. He was questioned by the agency for hours on Sunday.
The Central agency also said, “A laptop was seized from the cabin of Sachin Waze in a raid day before yesterday but all the data in it was already deleted. He was asked for his cellphone and he had said that he had dropped it somewhere. But the fact is that he had intentionally thrown it away.”