The NIA had, so far, claimed Kazi’s role in destruction of evidence, including digital evidence like CCTV footage of Waze’s society where the Scorpio car, used to plant the evidence, was parked before the incident in February.
A DAY after the Mumbai Police announced the dismissal of assistant police inspector Riyazuddin Kazi from service, his lawyers said they will decide on filing an appeal against the decision once the formal order is received.
Kazi was arrested (NIA) in April in connection with his alleged role in the conspiracy to plant explosives in a car parked near Mukesh Ambani’s residence in South Mumbai and the subsequent murder of Thane-resident Mansukh Hiran linked to the car.
Kazi’s lawyer Zeeshan Khan said the NIA is yet to file a chargesheet in the case and hence, dismissing him on the basis of a pending investigation cannot be considered proper.
“We trust the justice system. He was suspended from the force after his arrest but dismissing him altogether from the force on the basis of a pending investigation is not proper. As per law, he should be presumed to be innocent until proven guilty. The NIA investigation is still at an initial stage and the agency is yet to submit evidence to court in the case. It hasn’t even framed charges against him,” Khan said.
He added that the authorities should have considered Kazi’s unblemished service record for the past 19 years. He said Kazi ranked 14th in the Maharashtra Police Service Commission exams and over the past five years, he was awarded with recognition, including two awards by the Mumbai Police Commissionerate and one by the state Director General of Police, for his detection and other contribution to the police force.
Khan added that he had informed Kazi about the decision after he came to know about it through the media but a formal order is yet to be received by him in Taloja jail, where he is lodged. “We will decide on the next legal step once the order is received,” Khan said.
The order, issued by Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale on Friday said, Kazi was dismissed under provisions of Article 311(2)(b) of the Constitution.
Kazi was posted with the Crime Intelligence Unit where he worked closely with API Sachin Waze, who was also dismissed from the force recently through the same provisions.
The NIA had, so far, claimed Kazi’s role in destruction of evidence, including digital evidence like CCTV footage of Waze’s society where the Scorpio car, used to plant the evidence, was parked before the incident in February.
Along with Waze and Kazi, another serving police officer, inspector Sunil Mane, who was arrested on April 23, is also likely to be dismissed, an officer said.
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