The legal reprieve granted to dismissed police officer Sachin Waze has hit an immediate roadblock after the Bombay High Court stayed the special session court order that had granted him bail in the high-profile Antilia security scare case. Acting on an urgent petition moved by the National Investigation Agency, the high court ordered an interim stay on the bail order until October 7, ensuring that Waze remains behind bars for the immediate future as the legal challenge unfolds.
Investigative Challenge and Multiple Judicial Recusals
The development followed swift procedural maneuvers after a special NIA court cleared Sachin Waze for bail. Moving quickly on Tuesday, the National Investigation Agency approached the Bombay High Court to challenge that relief, seeking an immediate freeze on the release orders. However, the legal proceedings encountered procedural complications when Justice Sarang Kotwal recused himself from the matter and declined to entertain the agency's plea. Following this initial hurdle, the federal anti-terror agency presented its petition before a bench presided over by Justice Bharati Dangre.
On Wednesday, the matter came up formally before the division bench comprising Justice Bharati Dangre and Justice Ashish Chavan. Yet this bench also chose not to hear the petition. The recusal stemmed from past legal associations: Justice Ashish Chavan had earlier represented the Central Bureau of Investigation as its legal counsel, while Justice Bharati Dangre had previously presided over court hearings involving political leaders in connected matters linked to Sachin Waze.
Chief Justice Steps In as Division Bench Directs Jail Authorities
Faced with recusals from two separate benches, representatives from the NIA took the matter directly to the Chief Justice, seeking urgent intervention and administrative assignment for immediate orders. Acting on instructions from the Chief Justice, the plea was transferred to the bench of Justice Girish Kulkarni and Justice Nila Gokhale for consideration.
When the afternoon hearing commenced, nobody appeared to represent Sachin Waze in the courtroom. After evaluating the agency's urgent plea, the Bombay High Court ordered an interim stay on Waze's bail until October 7. Crucially, the bench directed that the stay order be communicated immediately to prison officials, thereby preventing Waze from completing release formalities and walking out of custody. The high court has scheduled the subsequent hearing for October 7.
Core Allegations Behind the Antilia Investigation
The litigation traces back to the high-stakes security alert triggered when an SUV laden with explosive materials was discovered abandoned near Antilia, the Mumbai residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani. The case escalated dramatically soon afterwards following the death of businessman Mansukh Hiren, who was associated with the vehicle. The twin incidents created an unprecedented uproar across the country and sparked intense political turmoil within Maharashtra.
The National Investigation Agency stepped in to take over the probe and subsequently arrested Sachin Waze in connection with the recovery of explosives and the suspicious demise of Mansukh Hiren. In the wake of his arrest and the gravity of the allegations, Mumbai Police dismissed Waze from official service. While the special court had briefly offered him bail, the high court's intervention has once again placed his release in abeyance pending full legal scrutiny.
