Two days after the local police dealt with Thane-based businessman Mansukh Hiren’s death as an accidental death case, Maharashtra’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Sunday registered Hiren’s mysterious death as a case of murder, visited the spot where his body was recovered on Friday, and spoke to his family members.
Acting on a complaint filed by late Hiren’s wife Vimla Hiren, the ATS registered a case against unknown persons under section 302 (murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) 34 (common intention) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
After he rejected a vehement demand by the Opposition BJP that Hirean’s death probe be handed over to the NIA, Maharashtra Home Minister had on Saturday transferred the case from the Mumbai Crime Branch to the state Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS).
On Saturday evening, after a meeting between the State Home Minister and State Director General of Police Hemant Nagrale, the Home Ministry wrote to Additional Director General of Police Jai Jeet Singh, who heads the ATS, to take over the investigations into Hiren's death.
Under pressure from various quarters to make a headway into the case, the ATS team hit the ground running. On Sunday, the ATS team visited the Reti Bunder area at Mumbra-Kalwa from where the Hiren’s was recovered Friday last.
The ATS team also visited the Vikas Palms Complex at Dr Ambedkar Road at Thane and spoke to the family members including Vimla, wife of Hiren.
Hours after Hiren’s body was recovered from the marshy Reti-Bunder creek Mumbra on Friday afternoon, a four-member team of doctors conducted an autopsy on his body and reserved its opinion on the cause of death, while his viscera has been kept in reserve while his viscera has been preserved for forensic analysis.
Hiren, a Thane-based businessman whose “stolen” SUV with 20 gelatin sticks was recovered by the police near Industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s skyscraper mansion “Antilia” in south Mumbai on February 25, hit the headlines after his body was found in mysterious circumstances on Friday afternoon. Hiren had reportedly been missing from his Thane home since Thursday.
It may be recalled that the police had recovered 20 gelatin sticks and a letter were recovered from what was later described as Mahindra Scorpio that was found abandoned in the vicinity of Mukesh Ambani’s 27-storey residence “Antilia” on Carmichael Road in south Mumbai.
Hiren (48), who was into the car accessories business, owned a car interior design garage “Classic Car Decor” near Vandana Talkies at Naupada in Thane.
Given that he was a good swimmer, his family and friends have rejected the theory that he could have committed suicide or died due to drowning.
Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police on Sunday sent the SUV and 20 gelatin sticks recovered from it to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) at Kalina in north Mumbai for a detailed analysis..
In a letter addressed to Additional Director General of Police Jai Jeet Singh, State Home department’s Deputy Secretary Ramesh Manale has mentioned both the cases – the recovery of the car and gelatine sticks outside Antilia, the home of Ambani, and the death of Mansukh Hiren, the prime witness in the case, who was in possession of the car.
“The probe must start immediately and the report be submitted to the government at the earliest,” the letter stated.
The FSL, with the help of experts, will try to find out if the chassis number of the car had been fudged or tweaked so as to identify the real owner of the vehicle and in whose name the vehicle had been registered.
It may be recalled that the State Home Minister had in his statement made in the State government said that the car belonged to one Sam Peter Newton, who had given it to Hiren’s automobile spare-parts company for doing the interior. “The car owner could not clear the dues so Hiren took the car,” he had said.
It has now come to light that a few days before his body was recovered, Mansukh Hiren had written a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, the State Home Minister and the Mumbai and Thane police chiefs, that he was being harassed. “I have already given my explanation and statements about how the vehicle was stolen, and I am being victimised and suffering harassment by police and news reporters,” Hiren said in the letter.
Among other things, Hiren said that he had been questioned by the Vikhroli and Ghatkopar police stations, Crime Intelligence Unit and Nagpada unit of ATS and also NIA.
“The interrogation by various agencies disturbed my peace of mind. In spite of being a victim, I am treated as an accused. I have also been receiving calls from media houses that have been harassing me and my family,” he said.