Mumbai: Suspended police officer Sachin Vaze and businessman Mansukh Hiran met the day when the Scorpio in Hiran's possession was 'stolen', a CCTV footage confirming the same was found out. Later, Vaze had tried to destroy the evidence against him, investigators claimed on Friday.
The is the same SUV that was found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence on February 25 containing gelatin sticks and a threat letter. Recently Sachin Vaze became the centre of investigation after the National Investigation Agency began probing the case.
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Vaze under the scanner for his role in the Antilia bomb scare case and according to NIA officials, he had used fake vehicle registration plates to conceal his movements.
He later tried to destroy evidence by dumping them in creeks. An official revealed that two number plates were recovered during the probe.
Vaze had also attempted to distort CCTV footage at the housing society in Thane where he lived and at some other locations by obtaining Digital Video Recording with the motive to conceal his movements while committing the crime, the official added.
According to an official of the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad probing Hiran's suspicious death, CCTV footage near the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in South Mumbai shows Hiran and Vaze sitting in a Mercedes car for about 10 minutes on February 17.
The NIA had later seized this same Mercedes, days after arresting Vaze.
A special NIA court in the city on Friday rejected Vaze's lawyer's plea to meet him privately while he remains in the NIA's custody till March 25.
Gesture Analysis
According to sources, NIA brought Sachin Vaze to Antilia where he was made to walk multiple times near the spot where the SUV was found. This will be used to conduct a gesture analysis wherein reportedly, his movement will be matched with CCTV footage of the man who was spotted wearing a PPE Kit near Antilia on the night when the SUV was parked.
The analysis will determine the likeness of movement between the person in the footage and the suspect in the case which is Vaze.
(With Agency Inputs)