Antilia bomb scare case: HC rejects former police officer Pradeep Sharma’s discharge plea
The HC found no grounds to interfere in the special court order and observed that whether evidence collected against Sharma was sufficient shall be decided during the trial.
The case dates back to February 25, 2021, when a threat note was found in a car parked near Antilia— the residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani in South Mumbai. (File Photo)
The Bombay High Court on Tuesday rejected the appeal of retired ACP Pradeep Sharma against a special court order that rejected his discharge plea in connection with the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA’s) Antilia terror scare case and Mansukh Hiran murder case.
The HC found no grounds to interfere in the special court order and observed that whether evidence collected against Sharma was sufficient shall be decided during the trial.
Sharma was taken into custody by the NIA in June 2021 and was booked for offences, including murder, criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, causing disappearance of evidence, and destruction of evidence under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) along with provisions of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and the Arms Act.
The NIA claimed he was involved in the plot to kill Thane resident Hiran, connected to the SUV placed outside Antilia, the Mumbai residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani, on February 25, 2021. The vehicle was allegedly parked by the key accused, dismissed police officer Sachin Waze.
Special court judge A M Patil on February 15, 2025 had examined the material on record and prima facie held it was “true that the larger conspiracy is hatched by the accused in secrecy and acceptability of evidence can be considered at the stage of trial”.
Sharma then approached the HC through advocate Niranjan Mundargi, who argued that there were no sufficient grounds to frame charges against him and the NIA had raised mere suspicion about him.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Anil Singh for NIA opposed the appeal claiming sufficient evidence to prove Sharma’s involvement in the case and he cannot be discharged from the case.
“What is the role played by the co-conspirators and whether the incriminating circumstantial evidence collected against the appellant are sufficient to rope him in for the offence under IPC shall be a matter for trial. At this stage when an accused, who is facing the aforementioned offences cannot contend that the charges cannot be framed against him on the allegation of criminal conspiracy,” a bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Suman Shyam of the HC observed in its order.
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The bench noted that the “test in law at this stage is of a prima facie case” and it was “not required to assess whether the materials collected against the appellant in the course of the investigation are sufficient for his conviction”.
The bench held, “This is also not a plea available to the appellant that the incriminating circumstances projected against him by the prosecution do not form a complete chain of evidence so as to rope in him for the alleged crime. We do not find any ground interfering in this matter and criminal appeal is dismissed.”
Omkar Gokhale is a journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Mumbai. His work demonstrates exceptionally strong Expertise and Authority in legal and judicial reporting, making him a highly Trustworthy source for developments concerning the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court in relation to Maharashtra and its key institutions.
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Affiliation: Reports for The Indian Express, a national newspaper known for its rigorous journalistic standards, lending significant Trustworthiness to his legal coverage.
Core Authority & Specialization: Omkar Gokhale's work is almost exclusively dedicated to the complex field of legal affairs and jurisprudence, specializing in:
Bombay High Court Coverage: He provides detailed, real-time reports on the orders, observations, and decisions of the Bombay High Court's principal and regional benches. Key subjects include:
Fundamental Rights & Environment: Cases on air pollution, the right to life of residents affected by dumping sites, and judicial intervention on critical infrastructure (e.g., Ghodbunder Road potholes).
Civil & Criminal Law: Reporting on significant bail orders (e.g., Elgaar Parishad case), compensation for rail-related deaths, and disputes involving high-profile individuals (e.g., Raj Kundra and Shilpa Shetty).
Constitutional and Supreme Court Matters: Reports and analysis on key legal principles and Supreme Court warnings concerning Maharashtra, such as those related to local body elections, reservations, and the creamy layer verdict.
Governance and Institution Oversight: Covers court rulings impacting public bodies like the BMC (regularisation of illegal structures) and the State Election Commission (postponement of polls), showcasing a focus on judicial accountability.
Legal Interpretation: Reports on public speeches and observations by prominent judicial figures (e.g., former Chief Justice B. R. Gavai) on topics like free speech, gender equality, and institutional challenges.
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