Man whose explosive-laden SUV was found near Ambani's home, found dead

The SUV was lying abandoned near a tree located near Ambani's house with 20 gelatine sticks and a threatening letter

In a shocking and intriguing development, the man whose SUV was parked with 20-odd gelatin sticks and a threatening note seized near the home of Reliance Industries Limited Chairman Mukesh Ambani, has been found dead on Friday.

The body of Mansukh Hiren, a businessman, was recovered from the Reti-Bunder creek at Mumbra in Thane district.

The incident comes as a major embarrassment to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government even as the opposition BJP demanded the resignation of state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and that the case be transferred to the National Investigation Agency.

The stolen Mahindra Scorpio was lying abandoned near a tree located near Antilia, the house of Ambani at the Carmichael Road residence on February 25 – and the police seized 20-odd gelatin sticks and a letter threatening Ambani and his wife Nita Ambani, the Chairperson of Reliance Foundation.

Read | Jaish-ul-Hind claims responsibility of placing explosives-laden SUV near Ambani's house

"Ye to sirf ek trailer hai. Neeta Bhabhi, Mukesh Bhaiyya, family... ye to sirf ek jhalak hai. Agli baar ye saaman pura hokar tumhare pass aayega, aur pura intezaam ho gaya hai," the threatening letter read.

An FIR was registered by the Gamdevi police station but parallel probe was ordered by the Crime Branch-CID – and Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Vaze of Crime Intelligence Unit was made the Investigating Officer.

The body was recovered at a time when Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis demanded that the Maharashtra government provide security to Hiren.

Initiating a discussion on the Law & Order situation in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, Fadnavis demanded government hand over the probe to the NIA. “There are several strange coincidences in the case,” Fadnavis said.

He also pointed out that Hiren seemed to know Vaze and telephone records confirm this fact. “The local police station does not reach there, the Crime Branch does not reach there, but Sachin Vaze reaches....he seizes the car, threat letter,” he said.

He also questioned why the probe was given to Vaze when the police earlier said that an Assistant Commissioner of Police would carry out the probe.

However, minutes later, reports came that Hiren has been found dead.

Fadnavis has asked Home Minister Anil Deshmukh to reply on the issue.

Meanwhile, Thackeray is learnt to have sought a detailed report from Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh and Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Milind Bharambe.

Hiren, in his statement to Mumbai Police had reportedly claimed that his car had not been in use for over a year and he recently drove the car because he wanted to sell it. He said that his car had broken down, after which he parked it at the Mulund-Airoli Link Road. He said that when he returned to the spot the next day, the car was not there.

Deshmukh said that the car belonged to one Sam Peter Newton, who had given the car to Hiren’s automobile spare-parts company for fixing its interiors. “The car owner could not pay the dues so Hiren took the car,” he said.

He also said that Vaze is not the Investigation Officer but Assistant Commissioner of Police Nitin Aluknare is on the investigation.

However, Fadnavis pointed out that in the police statement, Hiren had said that he had purchased the car from Newton.

Read | Mumbai Police's Sachin Vaze, an old friend of controversies

“There are ifs and buts and coincidences that needs to be probed and hence it should be given to NIA,” he said.

"There were not one but two cars. One was Scorpio and one Innova. Both the cars came from Thane and have followed the same route and reached the location," Fadnavis said, adding that both Vaze and Hiren are Thane residents.

BJP objects to Vaze's presence in the hospital where Hiren's body is held

The BJP has taken objection to the presence of Vaze in the hospital in Thane where the post-mortem of the body of Mansukh Hiren is being conducted.

“What is he doing there...we have information that Sachin Vaze is in the hospital where the post-mortem is being done,” senior BJP leader and former Maharashtra minister Ashish Shelar said.