The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted bail to former Mumbai police officer Pradeep Sharma, who was arrested for his alleged involvement in the Antilia bomb scare case and the murder case of businessman Mansukh Hiran.
The former ‘encounter specialist’ moved the Apex Court after the Bombay High Court denied him bail in January, 2023.
The order was passed by the Bench of Justice A.S. Bopanna and Justice P.S. Narasimha.
Sharma, along with Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Waze and eight others, were arrested by the National Investigation Agency in April 2021, soon after NIA took over the investigation. He has remained in custody since.
The case dates back to February 25, 2021, when an explosive-laden car was found with a threat letter near Antilia, the residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani.
On March 4, 2021, barely 10 days after the bomb scare incident, the body of businessman Mansukh Hiran was recovered from Thane creek. Hiran was the owner of the car and had reported it missing.
As per NIA, Sharma had allegedly helped Waze in destroying evidence in the case. He was also accused of hatching the conspiracy as well as executing Hiran’s murder with the help of his men.
NIA booked Sharma under Sections 120B, 201, 302, 364, and 403 of the Indian Penal Code, relevant Sections of the Arms Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 2002.
A special NIA court had refused to grant bail to Sharma in February last year. Sharma sought bail on the grounds that the allegations against him in the charge sheet were limited to his involvement in the conspiracy of Hiran’s murder.
He further claimed that NIA did not have any proof to show that he was involved in procuring or planting explosives in the vehicle near the residence of billionaire Mukesh Ambani. However, Special NIA judge A.T. Wankhede rejected his bail plea.
Sharma then moved the Bombay High Court, which also refused to grant him bail in January. However, the Bench of Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice R.N. Laddha granted bail to co-accused in the case, Riyazuddin Kazi.
A Vacation Bench of the Supreme Court headed by Justice Aniruddha Bose granted three weeks’ interim bail to Sharma in June, allowing him to meet his ailing wife. The interim bail was extended by two weeks by the court last month.
(Case title: Pradeep Rameshwar Sharma vs National Investigation Agency)