Bombay High Court Questions Whether Sachin Waze Would Rejoin Police Force If Granted Bail

Mumbai’s Bombay High Court on Friday pondered whether reinstated policeman Sachin Waze might return to duty if his recent bail was approved in connection to the 2021 Antilia bomb scare and businessman Mansukh Hiran’s murder. A two-justice bench led by Girish Kulkarni and Neela Gokhale deferred their ruling after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) requested an urgent stay on the matter, which they filed the following day.

Waze currently remains in custody at Thane Central Prison. During the hearing, the court probed the implications of granting Waze bail, specifically if he would be able to resume his police duties. His counsel argued that Waze’s employment was terminated following his arrest in the two cases in question. The bench also raised concerns over whether the alleged terrorist act, as charged by the NIA, constituted a legitimate reason for such charges.

They questioned the connection between the alleged explosives and Waze’s involvement. The NIA insisted that Waze’s actions amounted to terrorism, arguing that he had placed a vehicle with explosives in a public area. However, the special court had previously ruled that the NIA had not presented sufficient evidence to establish a prima facie case of terrorism. The NIA has now appealed this decision, contending that the special court erred in its judgment.