A special NIA court has denied bail to Satish Mothkuri, accused in the Mansukh Hiran murder and Antilia bomb scare case, calling him the “actual assailant” responsible for Hiran’s death.
The court said co-accused who got bail stood on “different footings,” rejecting Mothkuri’s plea for parity and noting that delays in the trial were largely caused by the accused themselves.
The NIA alleged that Mothkuri participated in the killing for money, helped dispose of Hiran’s body, and tried to destroy evidence; other accused include former police officers Sachin Waze and Pradeep Sharma.
An accused in the murder case of businessman Mansukh Hiran and the Antilia bomb scare has been denied bail by a special NIA court here, claiming that he was the "actual assailant who smothered the victim."
Since the co-accused who was granted bail by several courts "were all together on different footings," the court ruled that the parity arguments raised by the accused Satish Mothkuri would not be applicable.
"The role of Satish is quite serious. He is the actual assailant who smothered the victim, Mansukh (Hiran), due to which, death of Mansukh is caused, which prima facie is a homicidal death amounting to murder," the court held.
An SUV loaded with explosives was discovered on February 25, 2021, close to tycoon Mukesh Ambani's home in south Mumbai called "Antilia." A few days later, on March 5, Hiran, who had the SUV, was discovered dead in a nearby Thane creek.
In his October 28 order, which was made public on Friday, Special NIA Judge Chakor S. Baviskar denied Mothkuri's bail request, citing a number of reasons, including parity and trial delay.
The court said "credit" for the delay in the commencement of the trial goes to the accused.
"Axiomatically, the trial of this case has not yet started. But for this, much more credit goes to the accused themselves. One after another, this and that application is filed by this or that accused. Hence, neither the prosecution nor the court can be blamed for delay in trial, if there be any," the court noted.
Even otherwise, considering the gravity of the offences and the role played by the accused, this ground of parity alone would not make him entitled to be released on bail, the court said.
Mothkuri allegedly took part in the real killing of Hiran in exchange for money, according to the prosecution.
The National Investigation Agency asserted that his presence on the murder scene had been "established satisfactorily" and that he had attempted to destroy evidence by throwing the victim's body into the creek or river.
In addition to Mothkuri, additional defendants in the case include Pradeep Sharma and Sachin Waze Waze, two ex-police officers.
With PTI inputs.
