New Delhi, August 23, 2023: The Supreme Court has granted bail to Pradeep Sharma, a former Mumbai Police officer who was arrested in connection with the Antilia bomb scare case and the killing of businessman Mansukh Hiran. The Bombay High Court had previously denied him bail in January.
The case revolves around a gelatine-laden SUV discovered near billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s residence, ‘Antilia’, in south Mumbai on February 25, 2021. Mansukh Hiran, who possessed the SUV, was later found dead in a creek in Thane on March 5, 2021.
Sharma’s defense argued that the sole allegation against him was assisting his former colleague Sachin Waze, the prime accused in the Antilia bomb planting case and Hiran’s killing, in eliminating Hiran.
Pradeep Sharma, known as an “encounter specialist,” was part of the Mumbai Police’s encounter squad responsible for eliminating over 300 criminals in various encounters.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Sharma, highlighted his client’s decorated career spanning 37 years of service. Rohatgi stated, “Waze wanted to have some recognition and be in the spotlight… This was done with an intention that he will recover the car and he will be in the spotlight that he has discovered an attack.”
Rohatgi emphasized that there was no concrete evidence directly linking Sharma to Sachin Waze. He questioned the feasibility of hatching a murder conspiracy at a police commissioner’s office, where Sharma had met Waze on separate occasions.
Sharma’s bail has been granted amid the ongoing investigation into the case, emphasizing the importance of legal proceedings while preserving individual rights.
