Close to cracking Manshukh Hiran murder case, NIA tells court

Mansukh Hiran’s body was found in the creek near Mumbra on March 5; (right) API Sachin Waze is in NIA custody till April 3

A special court on Tuesday extended the custody of suspended constable Vinayak Shinde and cricket bookie Naresh Gaur till April 7 after the NIA sought more time to question them saying it was close to cracking the Manshukh Hiran murder case. Shinde and Gaur were first arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and later handed over to the National Investigation Agency following a court directive.

The two are suspected to have connived with arrested API Sachin Waze in getting rid of Hiran, whose purported Scorpio, laden with gelatin sticks, was found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence in south Mumbai on February 25. A threat letter in English was also recovered from the SUV. Special Public Prosecutor Sunil Gonsalves told the court of judge Prashant Sitre that they have found a note listing 14 mobile numbers. "Five out of the 14 numbers were handed over to API Sachin Waze," said Gonsalves.

One mobile number was used by Waze in committing the crime, said Gonsalves. He also told the court that Shinde and Waze were present in the meeting in which the "plan to kill Hiran was hatched". However, the NIA is yet to divulge where this meeting took place. Gonsalves said, "We are inching closer to solving the motive behind the murder of Hiran for which we need the extension in their custody."

Advocate Gautam Jain, who represented Shinde, said his client has "no role" to play in the murder other than the delivery of "SIM cards". "He [Shinde] is already under the custody of probe agencies [first ATS and now NIA] for almost nine days. So his further remand is not required," contended Jain. Advocate Aftab Diamondwala, appearing for Gaur, said his client has been "falsely implicated" in the case. "He has just provided them the SIM cards and nowhere he is connected to the case," Diamondwala said.

The central agency says Gaur procured the SIM cards and handed them over to Shinde, who finally gave the mobile chips to Waze. The agency told the court that they have recovered seven SIM cards, two mobile phones and one CPU. "We need to confront all the three accused together to divulge more details in the case," said Gonsalves. The court sided with the NIA and extended Shinde and Gaur's remand by nine days. Shinde and Gaur were arrested by the ATS when it was probing the Hiran murder case, which is connected to the Antilia bomb scare in which Waze is the prime suspect. Waze is in NIA custody till April 3.