Ambani bomb scare: Fadnavis demands cop’s arrest, triggers uproar in assembly

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad on Sunday registered a case of murder, criminal conspiracy, and destruction of evidence without naming anyone following the recovery of the businessman’s body. Sachin Vaze was the investigation officer probing the recovery of the explosives from the car

Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday demanded a police officer’s arrest for his alleged role in a businessman’s murder in his car days after the vehicle was found abandoned outside Reliance Industries Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani’s house with explosive gelatine sticks. The demand triggered an uproar in the state assembly as ruling Shiv Sena demanded the arrest of those named by Dadra Nagar Haveli parliament member Mohan Delkar in his suicide note.

Senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis. (HT archive)

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad on Sunday registered a case of murder, criminal conspiracy, and destruction of evidence without naming anyone following the recovery of the businessman Mansukh Hiren’s body. Sachin Vaze was the investigation officer probing the recovery of the explosives from the car.

Fadnavis alleged Hiren was murdered in the car and his body war thrown in Thane creek. “In her statement to the police, Mansukh Hirani’s wife has said that the car found outside Antilia, industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s South Mumbai residence, was in possession of Sachin Vaze from November 20 last year. The car was given to him for use as Hiren knew Vaze who was the former’s customer. The vehicle was with Vaze before it was returned to Hiren after four months,” he said.

Fadnavis said that Vaze and one Dhananjay Gawade were allegedly named in an extortion case in 2017. “The last location of Hiren before his death was at Gawade’s office in Thane, 40-km away from the creek where the body was found. This establishes Vaze’s involvement in the case. The Anti-Terrorism Squad has been investigating the case of murder, but Vaze should first be arrested under section 201 [for causing disappearance of evidence of an offence or giving false information to screen offender] of the Indian Penal Code,” said Fadnavis.

In response to Fadnavis’s demand, minister Anil Parab demanded action Delkar’s case. Parab said that Delkar has named Dadra Nagar Haveli administration in his suicide note and yet there has been no arrest so far. Allegations and counter-allegations led to the uproar in the House, resulting in three adjournments of the assembly proceedings.

Vaze and Hiren’s family were immediately unavailable for comments.