Sachin Waze sent to NIA custody till March 25

Mumbai: Mumbai police officer Sachin Waze, arrested in the probe into recovery of explosives from a car near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence, was on Sunday remanded to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) custody till March 25.

The NIA, which arrested Waze (49) on Saturday night, brought him to the court in south Mumbai after taking him to a local hospital for his medical examination, an official said.

Waze was arrested under IPC sections 286 (negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance) 465 (forgery), 473 (making or possessing counterfeit seal, etc with intent to commit forgery), 506(2) (punishment for criminal intimidation, 120 B (criminal conspiracy) and relevant provisions of the Explosive Substances Act, the official said.

He was produced before the court which remanded him to the central agency's custody for further probe in the matter, the official said.

The NIA arrested Waze for his alleged involvement in placing the explosives-laden vehicle on Carmichael Road near billionaire Mukesh Ambani's residence Antilia on February 25, an agency spokesperson said.

Waze was summoned at the agency's Mumbai office at Cumballa Hill in south Mumbai around 11.30 am on Saturday to record his statement.

The spokesperson said Waze was arrested under Sections of IPC and Explosive Substances Act after being questioned by NIA officials for around 12 hours.

The case was handed over to the NIA after the mysterious death of Thane-based businessman Mansukh Hiran, who claimed that the vehicle had been stolen a week earlier. His body was found in a creek at Thane on March 5.

Credited with eliminating 63 alleged criminals in 'encounters', Waze, a 1990-batch officer of the state cadre, was suspended in 2004 over his role in the custodial death of a 2002 Ghatkopar blast suspect Khwaja Yunus and was reinstated last year.

Waze, who led the team that arrested journalist Arnab Goswami in November last year in a suicide abetment case, had joined Shiv Sena while he was under suspension. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray recently said Waze was a member of Shiv Sena till 2008.