Antilia Bomb Scare: Former police officer Pradeep Sharma gets bail in Antilia case

SC grants bail to former Mumbai policeman Pradeep Sharma in the Antilia bomb case and businessman Mansukh Hiran's murder.

Explain that a bench of Justice AS Bopanna and Justice PS Narasimha heard the arguments of senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Sharma, and Additional Solicitor General for NIA. Rohatgi said Pradeep Sharma was a respected police officer who retired after 37 years of service.

The Supreme Court on Monday reserved its decision on the bail plea of former police officer Pradeep Sharma, arrested in the Antilia bomb case and the murder of businessman Mansukh Hiren.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi had said that suspended police officer Sachin Waje is the main accused in the case and there was no direct evidence to link Sharma with Waje. Sharma is merely accused of being a co-conspirator in Hiren's murder. Sharma met Waje but what happened during this? Has not come to the fore.

Explain that on July 24, the apex court extended Sharma's interim bail for two weeks due to his wife's surgery.

Pradeep Sharma has been a firebrand officer in the Special Branch of the Mumbai Police. He is known as an encounter specialist. He has a record of having more than 100 encounters. He joined the police service in 1983 and took voluntary retirement in 2019. After this, he took entry into politics.

Pradeep Sharma contested the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections in 2019 but was defeated. After this, on February 25, 2021, he came into the limelight in connection with the discovery of explosives outside Antilia, the residence of Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani. Former police officer Pradeep Sharma was arrested in the case related to this.