Antilia Bomb Scare Case: Special NIA Court Grants Bail To Dismissed Police Officer Sachin Waze, Says Car With Gelatin Sticks Was Not A Terrorist Act

Mumbai, September 29, 2026: Former police officer Sachin Waze has been granted bail by the special NIA court on Tuesday, observing that the alleged act of parking a car containing gelatin sticks near Antilia is not a terrorist act and the murder of Thane trader Mansukh is not linked with it.

NIA Seeks Stay On Bail

After the order of releasing Waze on bail was pronounced, the NIA sought a stay on the execution of it. NIA prayed that it intends to challenge the order before the high court. The request was, however, rejected by the court. With this, Waze will now be able to come out of prison.

On Feb 25, 2021, a Scorpio SUV containing 20 gelatin sticks and a threat note was found parked on the street near Antilia. The vehicle belonged to Mansukh Hiran, who had earlier reported it stolen. Days later, on March 5, Hiran's body was recovered from a creek near Mumbra with six handkerchiefs stuffed into his mouth and his face covered with a scarf.

Waze Challenges UAPA Charges

Waze was arrested in the case on March 13, 2021, for his alleged role in parking the said car on the road near Antilia. While arguing for his fourth bail application, his lawyers Sajal Yadav, Salabh Saxena and Aarti Kalekar pointed out that the charges of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act are not applicable to the case.

It was also argued that the charges are framed in the case after a delay of five years and the trial would take even longer considering the voluminous records. Hence, they contended that keeping Waze in prison for that long would violate his liberty.

The special judge Chakor Baviskar, after considering the submissions raised by the defence, pulled up prosecution for their theory of alleged motive while granting bail to Waze. The prosecution had claimed that the car was planted to create terror in the minds of people.

The court, however, said, "The prosecution is not coming up with any specific case that, exactly in whose mind accused Sachin wanted to create terror.”

Court Examines Terrorism Allegations

The court also considered the arguments of the defence that, 'the car only was found with gelatin sticks and the gelatin sticks without detonator or fudge to explode are useless and in this case there was nothing like self-combustion on the gelatin sticks.'

“No one is ever threatened by any one for anything, no one parted anything due to such threats, no wrongful gain or wrongful loss to anyone is caused by such threats,” the court said.

On the murder of Hiran, the court said, "Murder of Mansukh is certainly quite unfortunate. Culprits must be tried according to law for that. Nonetheless, the murder of Hiran cannot be said as an outcome of any terrorist act."

The court said the charges under UAPA are invoked against the accused on the basis of the material taken as it is and at least to give an opportunity to the prosecution to prove its case. But for grant of bail, the court said, the criteria of 'prima facie case' is different.

Bail Granted With Restrictions

"Waze has served in the police department for certain years. He has deep roots in society. There is nothing to buttress the hypothetical fear of the NIA that, if released on bail, he might flee away. For that, necessary precaution can be taken," the court said, granting him bail.

On the apprehension of threat to the witnesses and the family members of Hiran, the court said, “Most vulnerable witnesses could probably be the relatives of deceased Mansukh. They and most of all the witnesses are residing and doing business within the territory of Mumbai Municipal Corporation and adjoining districts like Thane, Palghar, Raigad and Navi Mumbai.”

The court has now asked Waze to not reside and even enter territorial jurisdiction of the districts of Brihan Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Raigad, Thane and Palghar.

Besides, the court said, he shall furnish the live mobile phone number, which he shall keep always active and charged throughout, so that his presence and whereabouts can be monitored by the NIA, if required, and also by the local police within territorial jurisdiction of which he proposes to reside.

Other Cases Pending Against Waze

Khwaja Yunus custodial death case: Yunus, a 27-year-old software engineer, had been arrested by the police in connection with a bomb blast in a BEST bus in Ghatkopar. The custodial death of Yunus was probed by state CID. Waze was probed for allegedly destruction of evidence as he was allegedly involved in a conspiracy for disposal of the body.

Corruption case linked to former home minister Anil Deshmukh lodged by CBI: After his arrest by NIA, Waze had made several allegations claiming that Deshmukh forced him to collect Rs 100 from hookah and bar owners.

The same was claimed by then Mumbai police Commissioner Param Bir Singh in a letter addressed to then Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Based on this allegation, the CBI had registered a case against Deshmukh and others on April 21, 2021.

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Money laundering case against Anil Deshmukh: After CBI, the ED too had initiated a probe into money laundering, wherein it said that Waze had collected Rs 4.70 crore from owners of orchestra bars between December 2020 and January 2021. The funds were allegedly handed over to Deshmukh through his personal assistant Kundan Shinde.

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