The Bombay High Court heard the NIA's challenge to Sachin Waze's bail in the Antilia case. Its questions placed the prosecution's terrorism charge under renewed judicial scrutiny.
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Mumbai,Oct 16, 2026 18:48 IST
The Bombay High Court on Friday questioned whether dismissed police officer Sachin Waze would rejoin the service if released on bail in the 2021 Antilia bomb scare and businessman Mansukh Hiran murder case, news agency Press Trust of India reported.
A bench of Justices Girish Kulkarni and Neela Gokhale reserved its order on the National Investigation Agency's appeal against a special court's decision last month to grant bail to Waze. The High Court had earlier stayed the bail order, and Waze remains lodged at Thane Central Prison.
During the hearing, the bench noted that Waze had been suspended for 17 years over his alleged involvement in a custodial death case before being reinstated in 2020. "If bail is granted, will he be joining service?" the court asked.
Waze's lawyer, V M Thorat, said that was not possible because Waze had been dismissed from service following his arrest in the Antilia bomb scare and Hiran murder case.
The High Court also asked the NIA how the alleged offence qualified as a terrorist act. "Why is this a terrorist act? Only because there were explosives? How do you connect these explosives to Waze?" the bench asked.
Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, appearing for the NIA, told the court that it was a terrorist act because Waze had allegedly left a vehicle containing gelatine sticks in a public place, PTI reported.
On February 25, 2021, an SUV containing explosives was found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence, Antilia, in south Mumbai. Hiran, who had possession of the vehicle before it was allegedly stolen, was found dead in a creek in neighbouring Thane on March 5, 2021.
The NIA arrested Waze on March 13, 2021, in the combined case relating to the bomb scare and Hiran's killing. He was later named as an accused in a corruption case investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate. He has already been granted bail in that case.
While granting Waze bail, the special court said the NIA had failed to establish an initial case of terrorism under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. It also said there was no evidence on record to show that Ambani's family had been terrorised by Waze's alleged act.
In its appeal, the NIA asked the High Court to set aside the special court's order, calling it "illegal and bad in law". It also sought an interim stay on the order. According to PTI, the agency argued that the special court was "totally wrong" in granting bail because Waze allegedly intended to create terror and was accused of murder.
The High Court has reserved its order on the NIA's appeal, while the interim stay on Waze's bail continues and he remains in prison.
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