'Which muhurat is NIA waiting for?' Mumbai court grants Sachin Waze bail in Antilia case
The judge observed that the day-to-day business of the Ambanis did not appear to have been disturbed "even for a minute"
- Sep 29, 2026,
- Updated Sep 29, 2026 6:45 PM IST
Former Mumbai Police officer Sachin Waze has been granted bail in the 2021 Antilia bomb scare and Mansukh Hiran murder case, news agency PTI reported on Tuesday.
Granting the bail, a sessions court said that the National Investigation Agency had failed to establish a prima facie case of terrorism against him under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The court also said there was no evidence on record to show that industrialist Mukesh Ambani or his family had been terrorised by Waze's alleged actions.
Special Sessions Judge Chakor S Baviskar questioned why the NIA had not recorded statements of the alleged targets of the conspiracy even five to six years after the incident.
"There is absolutely nothing on record even to infer by any stretch of imagination that the Ambanis or anyone of them is/was, are/were ever terrorized in any manner," the court was quoted as saying.
"No one knows which 'Muhurat' (auspicious time) the Investigating Agency is waiting for to record statement of any of the targets of the alleged terror, after such long gap of 5-6 years already lapsed after the incident of parking of the explosive," it said.
The judge also observed that the day-to-day business of the Ambanis did not appear to have been disturbed "even for a minute".
The prosecution had alleged that Waze and others formed a "terrorist gang" and entered into a criminal conspiracy.
The court, however, said there was nothing on record to show that Waze's alleged act had actually created terror in the minds of the Ambanis.
"Though according to the prosecution, Sachin (A/1) wanted to strike terror or, the act of the accused was likely to strike terror in the minds of Ambanis'...there is nothing on record to that effect," the judge said.
"Even if we suppose ourselves that, he wanted to create terror in the minds of Ambanis, it is impossible to accept that, any such terror was in fact ever created in the mind of anyone, least in the minds of Ambanis," the court said.
The court also noted that the gelatin sticks found in the SUV parked near Antilia, the Ambani residence in south Mumbai, did not have detonators.
It said the explosives were therefore useless and did not constitute the "means" required to define a "terrorist act" under Section 15 of the UAPA.
Hiran Murder treated as separate offence
On the death of businessman Mansukh Hiran, the court said it was a homicidal death but was not the direct outcome of a terrorist act. It held that the murder was an independent offence under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. The stringent bail restrictions under the UAPA, therefore, would not apply to that charge, the report said.
On February 25, 2021, an SUV containing explosives was found near Mukesh Ambani's residence. Hiran, who had been in possession of the SUV before it was allegedly stolen, was found dead in a creek in neighbouring Thane on March 5, 2021.
The NIA arrested Waze on March 13, 2021.
(With inputs from PTI)
Former Mumbai Police officer Sachin Waze has been granted bail in the 2021 Antilia bomb scare and Mansukh Hiran murder case, news agency PTI reported on Tuesday.
Granting the bail, a sessions court said that the National Investigation Agency had failed to establish a prima facie case of terrorism against him under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The court also said there was no evidence on record to show that industrialist Mukesh Ambani or his family had been terrorised by Waze's alleged actions.
Special Sessions Judge Chakor S Baviskar questioned why the NIA had not recorded statements of the alleged targets of the conspiracy even five to six years after the incident.
"There is absolutely nothing on record even to infer by any stretch of imagination that the Ambanis or anyone of them is/was, are/were ever terrorized in any manner," the court was quoted as saying.
"No one knows which 'Muhurat' (auspicious time) the Investigating Agency is waiting for to record statement of any of the targets of the alleged terror, after such long gap of 5-6 years already lapsed after the incident of parking of the explosive," it said.
The judge also observed that the day-to-day business of the Ambanis did not appear to have been disturbed "even for a minute".
The prosecution had alleged that Waze and others formed a "terrorist gang" and entered into a criminal conspiracy.
The court, however, said there was nothing on record to show that Waze's alleged act had actually created terror in the minds of the Ambanis.
"Though according to the prosecution, Sachin (A/1) wanted to strike terror or, the act of the accused was likely to strike terror in the minds of Ambanis'...there is nothing on record to that effect," the judge said.
"Even if we suppose ourselves that, he wanted to create terror in the minds of Ambanis, it is impossible to accept that, any such terror was in fact ever created in the mind of anyone, least in the minds of Ambanis," the court said.
The court also noted that the gelatin sticks found in the SUV parked near Antilia, the Ambani residence in south Mumbai, did not have detonators.
It said the explosives were therefore useless and did not constitute the "means" required to define a "terrorist act" under Section 15 of the UAPA.
Hiran Murder treated as separate offence
On the death of businessman Mansukh Hiran, the court said it was a homicidal death but was not the direct outcome of a terrorist act. It held that the murder was an independent offence under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. The stringent bail restrictions under the UAPA, therefore, would not apply to that charge, the report said.
On February 25, 2021, an SUV containing explosives was found near Mukesh Ambani's residence. Hiran, who had been in possession of the SUV before it was allegedly stolen, was found dead in a creek in neighbouring Thane on March 5, 2021.
The NIA arrested Waze on March 13, 2021.
(With inputs from PTI)