According to the remand report of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) that was submitted in court on Sunday to obtain custody of the Assistant Police Inspector for 12 days in the bomb scare case, it prima facie appears that Sachin Waze drove the white vehicle that escorted the SUV with explosives near the residence of Mukesh Ambani on February 25.

The NIA probe in the case, meanwhile, has identified Waze as the person seen on CCTV footage wearing a large kurta and covering his face, a few hours after the Scorpio SUV was parked outside the Ambani residence that day, sources said.

NIA IG Anil Shukla said that investigators have also found the fake number plate used for the Scorpio from a black Mercedes car used by Waze.  IG Shukla added that the Mercedes was recovered on Tuesday from a parking lot in South Mumbai with clothes, Rs 5 lakh in cash, a currency counting machine, and kerosene inside.

Officials said that they also found a check shirt and a plastic bottle with kerosene. Sources had earlier said that surveillance footage showed a PPE-clad man, which could be Mr. Vaze. The man, caught on CCTV, was also wearing a checkered shirt. Investigators now believe that the kerosene in the bottle was used to burn the PPE kit.

On February 25, the Scorpio SUV with explosives was found abandoned near Mukesh Ambani’s residential building Antilia. It also had a threat note to him and his wife Nita Ambani. The car was traced to a Thane-based auto parts dealer Mansukh Hiran, who had filed a stolen report with the police on February 17.

Mr. Hiran was found dead in a creek near Mumbai on March 5. His wife alleged that Sachin Waze, the first investigating officer in the bomb scare case, had used the car for four months and returned it on February 5. She also accused the officer of having a role in her husband’s death.

Days after taking over the case from the Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad, the NIA last week arrested Sachin Waze for his alleged role in placing the SUV near Mr. Ambani’s residence. He was questioned by the agency for hours on Sunday.

The NIA on Monday alleged that Mr. Waze seized CCTV footage at his own apartment complex and erased it. It searched his office and seized his computer-tablet, laptop, and some mobile phones.

The ruling party in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena had slammed the centre for handing over the case to the NIA. It said that the Mumbai police and the ATS were capable of handling the case and that the centre’s action demoralized the local law enforcement agencies and the Mumbai police.