Investigators suspect that suspended cop Sachin Vaze had planned a "fake encounter" of two persons to project their link with the explosives-laden SUV found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence, sources said on Wednesday.
This way, Vaze, an "encounter specialist", apparently wanted to claim to have solved the case, but it did not work out, they said.
During a search of Vaze's house in neighbouring Thane, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is conducting a probe into the case, had recovered the passport of a man, whose identity has not been revealed.
The investigators suspect Vaze had planned to kill the passport holder and one more person in a "fake encounter", the sources said.
The "fake encounter" was initially planned in the Maruti Eeco vehicle, which was stolen from Maharashtra's Aurangabad city in November last year, they said.
The probe agency suspects that by eliminating two persons, Vaze had planned to claim to have solved the case of the explosives-laden SUV and earn praise, but the plan did not work out, the sources said.
The NIA earlier claimed Vaze was planning to do "something big".
Accordingly, the agency is working on the "fake encounter" theory, the sources said.
The explosives-laden SUV was found parked outside the south Mumbai residence of Ambani on February 25.
Businessman Mansukh Hiran, who was in possession of the SUV, was found dead in a creek in Thane on March 5.
The NIA arrested Vaze on March 13.