The Bombay High Court questioned whether Sachin Vaze’s reported use of luxury cars and alleged 100-day stay at Mumbai’s Oberoi Hotel matched his salary of around Rs 90,000 a month.
The NIA cited allegations of extortion and misuse of official position against the former Mumbai police officer while challenging the bail granted to him.
The court also questioned the NIA about the explosives found outside Antilia and their source. It upheld the stay on Vaze’s bail relief pending the agency’s challenge.
The Bombay High Court questioned whether the reported lifestyle of former Mumbai police officer Sachin Vaze was consistent with the salary of an assistant police inspector (API), as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) argued against the bail granted to him.
The agency told the court that an API-rank officer earns around ₹90,000 a month. The court raised questions about Vaze’s reported use of luxury cars and his alleged stay at Mumbai’s five-star Oberoi Hotel for around 100 days.
The court’s questions came during the hearing of the NIA’s challenge to Vaze’s bail. They do not, by themselves, establish the allegations against him.
Court Questions Luxury Cars, Hotel Stay
The NIA told the court that Vaze used luxury vehicles, including Mercedes and BMW cars, to travel to his office and to Varsha, the official residence of the Maharashtra chief minister. The court questioned how an officer of API rank could afford to use such expensive vehicles, given the monthly salary cited by the agency.
The court also asked how Vaze could afford his alleged stay at the Oberoi Hotel for around 100 days while drawing a monthly salary of approximately ₹90,000. The questions came as the NIA pressed its case against the former police officer, citing allegations of extortion and misuse of official position.
Antilia Case And Mansukh Hiren Murder
Vaze came under scrutiny after an SUV carrying explosives was found outside industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence, Antilia, in Mumbai. The investigation was also linked to the murder of businessman Mansukh Hiren.
During the hearing, the high court questioned the NIA about the gelatin sticks found in the SUV parked outside Antilia. It asked where the explosives had come from and why their source could not be traced during the investigation.
The NIA told the court that Vaze had not cooperated with the probe. The court’s questions brought the investigation and the evidence gathered by the agency under scrutiny.
The NIA approached the Bombay High Court challenging the bail granted to Vaze and sought continuation of the stay on his release. The high court upheld the stay, keeping the bail relief in abeyance while the agency’s challenge remains pending.
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