MumbaiAssistant Police Inspector Sachin Vaze -- arrested in connection with the casepertaining to an abandoned SUV near the home of industrialist Mukesh Ambani --was suspended from service for the second time in about 17 years, officialsources said here on Monday.
Thesuspension order was issued by the Mumbai Police headquarters, a day after Vazewas sent to the custody of National Investigation Agency (NIA) till March 25.
Heis under probe by the NIA and the Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) forallegedly planting 20 gelatin sticks in the SUV which was found outside Antiliabuilding on February 25, followed by the death of Thane businessman MansukhHiren on March 5.
Anofficer of the 1990-batch of the Maharashtra Police cadre, Vaze, 49, hadearlier been suspended for his role in the custodial death of Khawaja Yunus, asuspect in the 2002 Ghatkopar bomb blast case.
However,he was reinstated in the police force last year and assigned to the Crime Branchand later served with the elite Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) which handleshigh-profile and sensitive cases.
Anofficial said that the second suspension -- considered unprecedented for anypolicemen in the city -- is part of a 'routine procedure' in such cases.
Duringhis suspension period, the former 'encounter specialist' with 69 criminals organgsters gunned down, briefly flirted with politics in the Shiv Sena, workedfor a private television channel and did other jobs.
Acouple of days ago (March 13), he had created a sensation by a WhatsApp statusupdate in which he hinted at ending his life as he was being implicated in thecase.
"3rdMarch 2004. Fellow officers from the CID arrested me in a false case. Thatarrest inconclusive till date. Sensing history is going to repeat," saidVaze on his status.
"Myfellow officers are on to falsely trap me. There's a slight difference in thescenario. Then probably I had 17 years of hope, patience, life and servicetoo," Vaze said.
Theapparently disturbed Vaze said: "I think the time to say goodbye to theworld is coming closer." Shortlyafter the case was taken over by the NIA last week, Vaze was transferred out ofthe CIU to a side-posting.