Suspended Mumbai Police officer Sachin Vaze on Thursday denied all charges against him and claimed that he was being made a scapegoat in the case. Vaze, who was produced before a special NIA Court in Mumbai, has been booked under UAPA for his role in planting an explosives-laden SUV outside Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani's house Antilia last month.
The NIA sought 15 days custody of Vaze to investigate the case further which was opposed by the police officer's counsel. The court has sent Vaze to NIA custody till April 3.
During the hearing, Vaze said he had nothing to do with the crimes he has been accused of.
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"It is being said that I have accepted my crime. But that is not true. I am being made a scapegoat," Vaze told the court.
Vaze lawyer argued that UAPA is not applicable in the case as his client had no intent to strike a community or country.
"There are gelatin sticks that have been found, which in itself is not an explosive," he added.
Vaze (49) is a former 'encounter specialist' and is credited with eliminating many criminals in 'encounters'. He is also facing heat in the murder of Thane-based businessman Mansukh Hiran, who was in possession of the explosives-laden Scorpio car.
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The NIA is also probing the Hiran murder case.
Vaze, a 1990-batch officer of the state cadre, was also suspended in 2004 in the custodial death of 2002 Ghatkopar blast suspect Khwaja Yunus and was reinstated last year.
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