NIA takes over case of vehicle laden with explosives found near Mukesh Ambani's home

The agency is in the process of re-registering the case, the spokesperson said

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the probe into the planting of the explosives-stick laden Scorpio SUV near the Mumbai residence of India’s top businessman Mukesh Ambani leaving the tri-party Maha Vikas Aghadi dispensation in Maharashtra fuming.

However, the state Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) will continue to probe the death of Thane-based businessman Mansukh Hiren given to the NIA in the wake of strange coincidences.

After mounting pressure from the opposition, the Maharashtra government transferred the cases registered in both the cases in Mumbai and Thane to the state ATS.

“The NIA has received orders from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, for investigation of FIR 35/2020 registered at Gamdevi police station on 25 February, 2021. The case relates to the recovery of a Mahindra Scorpio parked at Carmicheal Road, Mumbai. The NIA is in process of re-registering the case,” a brief statement said.

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A rattled Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said that since the case involving the planting of the car has been taken over by NIA, it raises eyebrows. “There is something fishy and hence the it was taken over by NIA....we will ensure that what is fishy is exposed,” he told reporters in the Vidhan Bhavan complex.

He said that the Opposition does not seem to have faith in the “government machinery”.

Thackeray also said the state police will conduct probe into the alleged suicide of Lok Sabha member Mohan Delkar and “punish” the guilty.

Delkar (58), a seven-term MP from the Dadra and Nagar Haveli was found dead at the Sea Green Hotel in Marine Drive in Mumbai on February 22.

"A Union Territory is governed by the Centre. We will take the case to its logical end. I wonder how the opposition (BJP) here is quiet on the issue of the seven-term MP ending his life," Thackeray said, adding that the Delkar family has faith in the MVA government and feel that there would be a fair probe. “There are names in the suicide letter...we will go to the depth of it and probe,’ he added.

State Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said that the NIA can take over the case, however, the ATS would also probe the death of Hiren Mansukh.