The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the Mansukh Hiren death case that is connected to the Antilia bomb scare incident.
According to reports, Mansukh Hiren death case will now be investigated by the NIA. The Ministry of Home Affairs has given formal orders to NIA regarding the matter. Maharashtra ATS was earlier investigating the case.
Mansukh Hiren death case taken over by NIA. Formal order from MHA issued to NIA regarding this. This case was earlier being investigated by Maharashtra ATS: Official Sources pic.twitter.com/mT06nzYc8Y
— ANI (@ANI) March 20, 2021
Mansukh Hiren was the owner of the vehicle laden with explosives parked outside Mukesh Ambani’s residence – ‘Antilia’. The Mumbai Police had recovered about 20 gelatin sticks, and a threat letter addressed to the Ambani family was recovered from the car, a Scorpio, on February 25.
Shockingly, a few days later, the body of Mansukh Hiren was found near Kalwa creek in Thane on March 5.
However, the family members of Mansukh Hiren refused to accept his body, stating that they will do it only after the police and the administration make his postmortem report public.
Hiren’s wife alleged that Sachin Vaze, the Mumbai crime branch officer, killed her husband. The family pointed towards the letter penned by Hiren in which he alleged that he was mentally harassed in connection with the Antilia bomb scare case. Besides, the family members of Hiren rejected the notion that Hiren might have committed suicide.
Shiv Sena objected to NIA probe
Earlier, BJP leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had demanded a probe by the NIA in the case. Two weeks back, Devendra Fadnavis had said, “I had demanded the security for Hiren in the Legislative Assembly today along with the NIA probe in the matter. Now, after the suicide of Hiren, the suspicion intensifies. I demand an NIA probe in the matter.”
However, Shiv Sena vehemently had opposed the NIA investigation into the high-profile Mansukh Hiren death case. Rejecting the demanding a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into Mansukh Hiren’s death, Shiv Sena motor-mouth leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday said that no one should try to capitalise on Hiren’s death.
Raut had added that if there were any issues raised by the Opposition in the Hiren death case, it should be investigated. He had asked the opposition to provide information on the case and said that it should be investigated. “However, I do not think it is right to put the government in the cage of the accused before the investigation is completed. But no one should try to capitalise on his death,” Raut said while interacting with reporters.
“This death of a key witness during the investigation is shocking and unfortunate. There is a public suspicion of whether Hiren was murdered or committed suicide. This doubt needs to be dispelled. What is the reason for his death? Who is responsible for it? The sooner the Home Ministry reveals the truth about all this, the better it will be for the image and reputation of the government,” he added.
Antilia bomb scare and connection between Mansukh Hiren and Sachin Vaze
On February 25, a Scorpio car with 20 gelatin sticks was found parked near Antilia, the multi-storey residence of Mukesh Ambani in Mumbai. A few days later, it was revealed that the car belonged to a person named Mansukh Hiren. The bomb-laden car was owned by Mansukh Hiren, who had alleged that his car was stolen from Mulund-Airoli link road. Hiren had also filed a police complaint about the missing car.
Former Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis had made sensational disclosures related to the Antilia bomb scare while speaking in the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha and said that the bomb-laden vehicle belonged to Hiren.
Speaking in the assembly, Fadnavis alleged that the owner of the Scorpio car, which was used to plant gelatin sticks and a threat letter outside Mukesh Ambani’s residence in Mumbai, was in touch with a mobile phone number that is registered under the name of Mumbai Police officer and ‘encounter specialist’ Sachin Vaze.
However, hours after Fadnavis had made a statement in the legislative assembly, Hiren’s body was washed ashore in the Kalwa creek, which only deepened the mystery surrounding the attack against Mukesh Ambani.
Later, top sources in the Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) said that they had found injuries on the body of businessman Mansukh Hiren’s head and neck. An unnamed source in the Maharashtra ATS said that Hiren might have been assaulted before his death. The ATS official said that it appeared that someone might have assaulted Mansukh Hiren with a blunt and heavy object.
