Antilia bomb scare: NIA arrests Sachin Waze’s associate API Riyaz Qazi for destroying evidence

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested suspended Mumbai Police API Sachin Waze’s aide and ex-CIU officer, Riyaz Qazi, in Mumbai on Sunday in connection with the Antilia bomb scare and Mansukh Hiren death case, NIA officials said.

As per sources, Riyaz Qazi who faces charges of destroying important evidence will be produced before a holiday court later today.

Riyaz Qazi, who was continuously questioned by the NIA in connection with the murder of Mansukh Hiren and the Antilia bomb scare case, was transferred out of the Mumbai Police Crime Branch earlier in March.

Sources said that Qazi destroyed vital evidence related to the case such as a fake number plate and, Digital Video Recorder (DVR) of the Society of Sachin Waze’s residence. He was seen in several garages where he got fake number plates made and later confiscated the DVRs from all the garages and destroyed them.

The NIA confirmed Qazi’s arrest, saying that he destroyed important evidence for which he was arrested.

Earlier, on Friday, the NIA had recorded the statement of Mahesh Shetty, a bar owner who is close to Sachin Waze, in connection with the above-mentioned case.

Sachin Waze, who was Assistant Police Inspector in the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) and later transferred to the Citizen Facilitation Centre at Mumbai Police Headquarters after his name came up in Mansukh Hiren death case, was sent to NIA custody till March 25.

On Friday Waze was produced before a special NIA court that sent him to judicial custody till April 23, 2021, in connection with his role and involvement in placing an explosives-laden vehicle near Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani’s house Antilia in Mumbai on February 25 and Mansukh Hiren death case.

Hiren, the owner of the vehicle that was found containing explosives materials outside Anitilia, was found dead on March 5 in Thane.