MUMBAI: A hotelier and a constable have reportedly told the NIA that they heard businessman Mansukh Hiran murmuring to himself about police officer Sachin Waze’s demand to him to own up responsibility for the car explosives case. On March 3, a day before Hiran’s murder, three police inspectors, a senior cop and Waze tried convincing him to admit he had parked the vehicle laden with explosives near Mukesh Ambani’s residence on February 25.
Sources said the meeting happened at Waze’s office at the city police headquarters. NIA is probing the car explosives case and the subsequent murder of vehicle owner Hiran, whose body was found in Mumbra creek on March 5.
The meeting happened behind closed doors between 4.30 pm and 6.30 pm, but the hotelier who had come to hand over ‘hafta collection’ claimed that Hiran, who stepped out of the meeting, was muttering to himself about the unreasonable demand when he had done nothing wrong. A constable also heard this, sources said. The hotelier also claimed Hiran kept walking in and out of the meeting room.
The hotelier, who is likely to be a witness, told NIA that Hiran was firm on his decision not to own up to the crime, but Waze kept insisting he should give it a second thought. “In between, Waze ordered a sandwich and tea. Then a senior officer arrived and Hiran was again called inside Waze’s cabin.
Hiran was upset, confused and started murmuring to himself as to why he should take responsibility when he had done nothing wrong. A police constable who was sitting there has corroborated this with the NIA official,” a source said.
Meanwhile, the ATS which has submitted the interrogation report of convicted constable Vinayak Shinde, has asked NIA to ask L&T to preserve the CCTV footage of the Freeway, Mulund toll naka and other places where images of Waze and his accomplices were captured. “It is a crucial piece of evidence and after a certain period of time, the old data will be overwritten,” an officer said.
Citing progress in probe, NIA had submitted that they have recovered number plates and five vehicles including high-end end ones allegedly used by Waze in the crimes.
NIA has also summoned the two doctors who had conducted the postmortem on Hiran as there are discrepancies. NIA also submitted that Rs 5.73 lakh, along with a note counting machine and clothes worn by the accused, were recovered. NIA, during hearing on extension of Waze’s custody on March 25, said voice samples of Waze have been sent to FSL along with clips where the accused is seen moving in suspicious manner.