With two arrests, ATS claims Mansukh Hiren death case solved

With the arrest of a notorious bookie and a dismissed-convicted policeman, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of the Maharashtra Police claimed to have solved the sensational murder of Thane-based businessman Mansukh Hiren on Sunday.

Suspended Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Vaze has been named as the "main accused" behind the death of Hiren, the owner of a car accessories business, Classic Car Decor near Vandana Talkies in Thane.

It was Hiren’s Scorpio that was laden with gelatin sticks and a threatening letter was planted near the home of top businessman Mukesh Ambani.

Read | Policeman among two arrested by Maha ATS in Hiren death case

Additional Director General of Police Jai Jeet Singh, who heads the ATS and Deputy Inspector General Shivdeep Lande are camping in Thane ATS unit supervising the probe.

Announcing the breakthrough, Lande in a Facebook post, said: “The sensitive Mansukh Hiren murder case has been solved…I salute all my colleagues in ATS who worked day-night for the last few days. This has been one of the most complex cases in my police career.”

The ATS in a press statement said that investigations are underway to zero in on the "key conspirator" in the case.

On 5 March, Hiren’s body was recovered from Reti Bunder in Mumbra-Kalwa area of Thane.

The arrests come a day after the Ministry of Home Affairs directed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to take over the case.

Read | 'At whose behest was Scorpio parked near Antilia?', asks Raj Thackeray

The ATS identified the two accused as Naresh Gor (31) and Vinayak Shinde (51).

The duo were produced in a court in Thane which remanded them to ATS custody till March 30.

Gor is a cricket bookie and it is suspected that Vaze and Shinde used 5 SIM cards procured from him.

Shinde is a dismissed policeman, who has been convicted in the case involving the fake encounter of Ramnarayan Gupta alias Lakhan Bhaiya, on November 11, 2006. In 2013, a Mumbai sessions court had awarded life sentences to 21 people, including 13 Mumbai Police personnel, convicted in the case.

Shinde was currently on parole – and was in regular touch with Vaze and helped the latter in his illegal activities.