Sachin Waze took local to Thane the night Mansukh Hiran was killed: NIA

A cop escorts suspended police officer Sachin Waze out of the NIA headquarters on March 25. Pic/Suresh Karkera

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) said it has found another crucial piece of evidence indicating suspended police officer Sachin Waze's presence at the spot where Thane-based businessman Mansukh Hiran was killed on March 4.

Waze, who has repeatedly claimed to have spent the entire March 4 at the commissioner of police's (CP) office, was caught on camera boarding a local train from CSMT to Thane, sources told mid-day on Friday. The NIA collected CCTV camera footage from the Railway Protection Force on Wednesday and spotted Waze boarding the local between 7.15 pm and 7.30 pm and getting down at Thane around 8 pm, they added.

"We suspect that Waze then called Hiran posing as officer Tawade, using the SIM card that was procured from Gujarat by another accused," said an NIA officer. The WhatsApp call to Hiran was made at 8.25 pm and he was asked to come to Ghodbunder only by an auto.

The NIA is now investigating what transpired after the meeting at Ghodbunder and who all were present there. "We are probing whether Waze handed Hiran over to the killers or he was present during the murder, and also if Waze asked the other accused to dump his body in the creek," the officer added.

Later that night, Waze took another local and got down at Byculla railway station around 10.30 pm. He was then seen at Tipsy Bar in Dongri that he and other officers raided. The NIA is still investigating if Waze went to the CP's office from Byculla or stopped somewhere before going to Tipsy Bar.

Both the NIA and the Maharashtra ATS have confirmed that tower location showed Waze's mobile phone was at the CP's office while he was travelling on the local. The NIA is investigating the murder of Hiran, whose Scorpio, laden with explosives, was found outside industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence in February, and also Hiran's death a few days later.

Final hearing of PBS's PIL? HC order on Apr 5

The Bombay High Court will pronounce its order on April 5 on whether a PIL filed by former city police commissioner Param Bir Singh, seeking a CBI probe against Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, should be heard further. The PIL alleged that Deshmukh had asked cops, including Sachin Waze, to collect R100 crore per month from bars and restaurants. It also alleged corruption in police transfers and postings and political interference in probes. The bench will on March 31 announce whether it should be taken up for final hearing or dismissed at the preliminary stage.

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Day, in March 2020, Mansukh Hiran was allegedly killed