Antilia bomb scare - Mansukh Hiran murder case: Accused former cop Riyazuddin Kazi denied bail

A special court under the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act on Tuesday rejected the bail application of dismissed Assistant Police Inspector Riyazuddin Kazi in the Antilia bomb scare - Mansukh Hiran murder case.

Kazi was arrested on April 11 last year. This was his first bail application after arrest. He was the main accused dismissed policeman Sachin Vaze’s subordinate at the Criminal Intelligence Unit (CIU). The NIA claims he played a role in destroying important evidence such as CCTV footage.

Opposing his bail application, the agency had told the court that Kazi had been present with Vaze the day when the auto parts businessman Hiran was killed and Vaze wanted to create an alibi by raiding a bar. The agency had further pointed out that even if he was a junior, he would have questioned certain acts such as destruction of the register, that Vaze did. It said that Kazi in his complicity was trying to save the culprits.

It had further emphasised that he was not a layman, but a police officer and therefore he could threaten witnesses if released on bail. It had also pointed out how being police officers, they knew how to destroy evidence. Regarding the CCTV and video recorders taken from different locations, the NIA told the court that these were done without documentation. It had also said that maximum witnesses were pointing towards Kazi’s involvement in their statements.