The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the case of a vehicle laden with explosives being found near top industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence in Mumbai, an official spokesperson said on Monday.
“NIA has received orders from MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs, GoI (Government of India) for investigation of case FIR No 35/2020 registered at Police Station Gamdevi on 25.02.2021. This case relates to recovery of explosives from a Mahindra Scorpio parked at Carmichael Road, Mumbai,” the NIA said in a statement.
NIA is in the process of re-registering the case, it further said. The Scorpio, with 20 gelatin sticks inside, was found near Ambani's high-rise south Mumbai home on February 25. According to the police, the vehicle was stolen from Airoli-Mulund Bridge on February 18.
In yet another twist, Hiren Mansukh, the purported owner of the vehicle, was found dead in a creek in Thane on Friday.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday said the NIA taking over the case suggests something was “fishy”.
Talking to reporters in Mumbai, Thackeray said governments come and go, but the official administrative machinery remains the same and one needs to trust it.
On Sunday, the Maharashtra Anti-terrorism Squad (ATS) registered the FIR against unidentified persons on the orders of the State Home Department under IPC Sections 302 (murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy).
Thackeray said, “We had handed over the case of the vehicle laden with explosives and the mysterious death of Mansukh Hiren to the ATS. The NIA taking over the case shows something was fishy.”
The ATS will continue to conduct its probe into Hiren's death, the CM said.
He said the opposition does not have faith in the state machinery and wanted to show it doesn't function.
“If that is so, why is it demanding that the state government reduce taxes on fuel?” the chief minister asked.
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 Union Territory, was found dead at a hotel on Marine Drive in south 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 here is quiet on the issue of the seven-term MP ending his life,” Thackeray said. On Monday, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said in the Assembly that the state police was capable of solving the case of auto parts dealer Mansukh Hiren's death and the recovery of the explosives-laden car near Ambani's residence.