Antilia bomb scare: Accused seeks to withdraw confession statement

Manish Soni, an accused in the Antilia bomb scare and businessman Mansukh Hiran murder case, has approached the special NIA court here, stating he wants to withdraw his confessional statement recorded before a magistrate.

Soni and Satish Mothkuri are accused by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) of killing Hiran and dumping his body with the help of other accused.

The murder was part of a larger conspiracy and committed at the behest of former policemen Sachin Waze and Pradeep Sharma, the probe agency has claimed. Soni, arrested on June 17, 2021, recorded his confessional statement before a magistrate, stating chronology of the events leading to Hiran's murder.

In a letter written to the special NIA court from Yerwada jail, dated September 25, he said he wanted to retract his confession. The court received the letter on Wednesday and asked the NIA to respond by October 25. On February 25, 2021, an SUV with explosives was found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence 'Antilia' in south Mumbai. Hiran, who said he was in possession of the SUV before it was allegedly stolen, was found dead in a creek in neighbouring Thane on March 5, 2021.

There are a total of ten accused in the case including Waze, Sharma and a few other ex-cops.