NIA says other players in Waze episode
MUMBAI, March 17: Under flak for ‘mishandling’ of the bomb scare outside industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s house in Mumbai, the Maharashtra government on Wednesday transferred City Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh to the low-key Home Guard.
Senior IPS officer Hemant Nagrale, holding additional charge of the State Director General of Police (DGP) post, will be the new Mumbai Police Commissioner, Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said.
Singh’s transfer came even as the case of recovery of gelatin sticks near Ambani’s residence turned murkier with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) claiming there were “other players” who had been allegedly instructing arrested policeman Sachin Waze. Sources said the case had virtually been cracked and soon the “entire conspiracy” behind would be unravelled.
Waze is at the focus of NIA’s probe in the recovery of an SUV with explosives near Ambani’s house.
Arrested in the case on March 13 for his alleged role in the crime, Waze was attached to the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) till recently. He was suspended after NIA arrested him.
Singh’s transfer follows Monday’s talks between Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and NCP chief Sharad Pawar, amid reports that Waze stage-managed the bomb scare on instructions from Singh.
The NIA questioned Mumbai Crime Branch officer Riyazuddin Kazi for the fourth consecutive day on Wednesday in connection with its probe into a case related to the recovery of the SUV with explosives.
Another Assistant Police Inspector of the crime branch, Prakash Howal, also appeared before the agency here in the afternoon. Kazi had allegedly procured the fake number plates found in the SUV, an official claimed. – PTI
