Mumbai Police officer Sachin Vaze, whose name has come up amid controversy around the Mansukh Hiren death case, moved an anticipatory bail application in the Thane district and sessions court on Friday, 12 March, news agency ANI reported.
According to LiveLaw, after briefly hearing arguments from both sides, Additional Sessions Judge SS Tambe refused to grant interim protection and kept the plea for hearing on 19 March.
The court has also sought the response of the investigating officer on the same date, reports said.
Hiren, an auto parts dealer linked to the explosives-laden vehicle found outside Mukesh Ambani’s residence, was found dead on the banks of a creek near Mumbai on 5 March.
Meanwhile, Vaze on Saturday reached the NIA office to record his statement in connection with the case over recovery of explosives from the vehicle.
On Wednesday, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh announced that Vaze would be removed from the Crime Branch and posted to a different department.
"It is being done so that an impartial investigation can be conducted in the case over Mansukh Hiren's death," Deshmukh said, according to ANI.
While the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) is probing the Hiren death case, the investigation into the recovery of explosives from the car near Antilla was handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) from the ATS.
Vaze had become a bone of contention between the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government and the BJP-led Opposition in Maharashtra, ever since he had taken over the investigation of the case regarding explosives being recovered outside Ambani’s residence.
In an FIR registered on 7 March, Hiren's family had levelled serious allegations against Vaze and accused him of his murder.
Vimala, Hiren’s wife, had alleged in the FIR that Vaze was involved in the alleged conspiracy to frame her husband and had allegedly murdered him.
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