Sachin Hindurao Waze, a Mumbai police officer, was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday night in connection with the death of Mansukh Hiren, whose SUV– loaded with gelatin sticks and a threat note — was found outside Reliance Industries Limited Chairman Mukesh Ambani’s Charmichael Road residence Antilia on February 25. Waze was removed from his position at the Crime Branch earlier this week.

The government action last Wednesday against 49-year-old Waze followed days of protests by Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which alleged that Waze, who was once a Shiv Sena member, had a hand in Hiren’s death and that the explosive-laden car case was a much bigger conspiracy. Chief Minister Uddhav Thakeray, however, defending Waze said, “Sachin Waze is not Osama Bin Laden. It is not right to target a person and hang him and then investigate.”

(Read: Jaish-e-Hind claims responsibility)

Days before his death, Hiren had sent a letter to Thackeray, where he wrote that he was being hounded by the police and some media persons who treated him ‘like an accused’. He had reportedly named Waze. Hiren’s wife had claimed that her husband had given the SUV to Waze in November, which the Mumbai crime branch officer returned in the first week of February. Waze has denied this.

All about Sachin Waze

Waze joined Maharashtra Police Force in 1990 and was initially posted in the Naxal-affected Gadhchiroli. Two years later he was shifted to Thane. He went on to head the Special Squad of Thane Crime Branch and was picked to work with the elite Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) of the Mumbai Police.

Also read: Mukesh Ambani bomb scare case: What we know so far

In his career spanning 30 years, he earned the epithet “encounter specialist” and was said to be involved in more than 50 encounters.

Waze has had his share of controversies too. Over 15 years ago, he was chargesheeted in the 2003 custodial death of Khwaja Yunus, a software engineer. The charges included murder, destruction of evidence, and concealment of Yunus’s body. Waze resigned from the police in 2007, but he was reinstated last year, even though the murder case is still pending trial, and Waze and his fellow accused haven’t been cleared of the charges.

In 2008, he joined the Shiv Sena and was a member until his reinstatement in 2020. According to Times Now, however, the Chief Minister has said Waze was a member “till 2008” and did not renew his membership. Waze’s suspension was revoked and he was reinstated on June 6, 2020.

Waze has also co-authored a book on 2008 Mumbai attacks titled, ‘The Scout: The Definitive Account of David Headley and the Mumbai attacks.’