The cyber expert told NIA that Param Bir Singh paid him Rs 5 lakh for his services.
The chargesheet in the case involving the explosives-filled car found near the house of Mukesh Ambani, by the National Investigation Agency does not specifically explain the role of former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh in the conspiracy. But the statement of a cyber expert quoted in the 10,000-page chargesheet has serious implications for him.
Param Bir Singh was unceremoniously removed from the top post in Mumbai police in March amid multiple investigations linked to the Antilia bomb scare case. As the issue snowballed, he made some explosive corruption allegations against then Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, leading to Mr Deshmukh's resignation.
The cyber expert who gave statement to the NIA is the one who prepared a report that said terror outfit Jaish-ul-Hind had taken responsibility for the bomb scare. He said he had inserted the threatening poster in the main report on the insistence of Param Bir Singh, who paid him Rs 5 lakh in cash for his services.
The report, he said, was made at the request of Mr Singh, who told him it would be shared with the NIA. It was meant to be confidential as the Delhi Police was also investigating the role of the terror outfit in another case. He said it was a surprise that the report was leaked the next day.
Investigation by the NIA has also found that Sachin Waze – the police officer in charge of the case who was sacked and arrested for alleged involvement -- had planted the explosives in the SUV that was found on Carmichael Road, close to Mukesh Ambani's residence. He later destroyed the clothes he wore and his cell phone, the chargesheet said.
Sachin Waze had also given the contract for the murder of Thane businessman Mansukh Hiran, who owned the explosive-filled vehicle.
The chargesheet said Mansukh Hiren had become a big threat to Sachin Waze and the other accused. Not only did he refuse to take responsibility for the plot, Sachin Waze knew that he was a weak link who could easily break.
Investigations revealed that Sachin Waze had booked a room in the Oberoi Hotel under a fake name for 100 days to plot the conspiracy, using the money he extorted earlier. He, however, used his own photo for the fake identity document provided at the hotel.
Sachin Waze, the chargesheet said, gave the contract to kill Mansukh Hiran to former encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma.
On March 3, Sachin Waze visited the office of Pradeep Sharma's PS Foundation and handed over a bag full of cash. According to sources, the bag contained Rs 45 lakh in Rs 500 currency notes.
Pradeep Sharma then approached Santosh Shelar for the murder and used the help of another police officer, Sunil Mane, in the murder plot.
On March 2, Sachin Waze called Pradeep Sharma and Sunil Mane to his office where Mansukh Hiran was present, so they could identify him. He then tried to plant the news of Mansukh Hiren being mentally disturbed.
Santosh Shelar was arrested in connection with the murder in June. Sunil Mane was the third policeman – after Sachin Waze and Riyazuddin Kazi – to be dismissed in connection with the bomb scare case.