Antilia case: Court rejects discharge plea of former cop

A special NIA court on Saturday rejected the discharge plea of former encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma, arrested in connection with the Antilia explosives scare case and the subsequent murder of businessman Mansukh Hiren.

- Revu Suresh

MUMBAI:

Sharma is accused of helping his former colleague and the main accused in the Antilia explosives scare case, Sachin Waze, in committing the murder of Hiren, whose SUV was found parked near Antilia on February 25, 2021, with 20 loose gelatin sticks and a note threatening to kill the Ambani family. Hiren was subsequently found dead in a creek in Thane on March 5, 2021.

The NIA alleged that dismissed police officer Sachin Waze, who at the time headed the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU), had planted the explosives-laden vehicle and wanted to eliminate Hiren to avoid attention on him. As per the charge sheet, Sharma is accused of hiring contract killers to eliminate Hiren, for which Waze paid him.