Antilia Bomb Scare Case: SC Grants Bail To Former Mumbai Cop Pradeep Sharma

The Supreme Court has granted bail to former Mumbai police officer Pradeep Sharma in the Antilia bomb scare case and the killing of businessman Mansukh Hiran.

The Supreme Court has granted bail to former Mumbai police officer Pradeep Sharma

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has granted bail to former Mumbai police officer Pradeep Sharma in the Antilia bomb scare case and the killing of businessman Mansukh Hiran.

On February 25, 2021, an explosives-laden SUV was found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence 'Antilia' in south Mumbai. Businessman Hiran, who was in possession of the SUV, was found dead in a creek in neighbouring Thane on March 5, 2021, news agency PTI reported. 

Sharma, along with police officers Daya Nayak, Vijay Salaskar and Ravindranath Angre was a member of the Mumbai Police's encounter squad that killed over 300 criminals in numerous encounters. Salaskar had died during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

As per the agency, dismissed police officer Sachin Waze is the main accused in the Antilia bomb planting case and the killing of Hiran. Sharma was arrested in the case in June 2021.

A bench of Justices A S Bopanna and P S Narasimha had reserved its order earlier on Monday after hearing submissions of senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who appeared for Sharma, and Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, who represented the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is probing the case.

Sharma's counsel said the only allegation against him was that he had helped his former colleague Sachin Waze in eliminating Hiran. He submitted that Sharma was a decorated police officer who retired after 37 years of service.

He said there was no direct evidence to link Sharma to Sachin Waze.

"I am a retired police officer. I met Waze at Malabar (Hill) police station. He called me and is known to me. Second time I met him at police commissioner's office. Is it possible to hatch a conspiracy to murder someone at police commissioner's office?" Rohatgi submitted.

Earlier on July 24, the top court had extended by two weeks the interim bail to Sharma in view of his wife's surgery.