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Antilia case: NIA gets custody of 2 till July 1 to probe source of funds
The special NIA (National Investigation Agency) court on Friday extended the custody of Santosh Shelar and Anand Jadhav – arrested by the federal agency on June 11 in connection with the recovery of an explosives-laden SUV near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s home and the subsequent murder of the car owner Mansukh Hiran – till July 1
The special NIA (National Investigation Agency) court on Friday extended the custody of Santosh Shelar and Anand Jadhav – arrested by the federal agency on June 11 in connection with the recovery of an explosives-laden SUV near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s home and the subsequent murder of the car owner Mansukh Hiran – till July 1.
Special judge Prashant Sitre extended the duo’s NIA remand after the agency informed the court that the two were in touch with the other accused in the case through social media. NIA also informed the court that Shelar and Jadhav were arrested from Latur, but before moving to the Marathwada district, had spent time in Delhi and other places outside Maharashtra.
NIA’s counsel further said that the duo was provided funds by the other accused in the case, and the agency wants to find out how the money was routed, and with whom were they in touch during the period. The agency sought an extension of their remand claiming that it wants to interrogate Shelar and Jadhav to recover Hiran’s phone, watch, wallet, credit and debit cards.
The special court on Friday also remanded former Mumbai Police inspector Sunil Mane, who too is arrested in the twin cases, back in judicial custody. Mane was arrested by NIA on April 23, and on May 13, he was remanded in judicial custody. He has been lodged in Taloja prison since then. He was again remanded in NIA custody on June 21, as the agency wanted to confront him with the other accused in the case.
On February 25, an SUV was found abandoned near Antilia – Ambani’s home – with 20 lose gelatin sticks and a threatening note. On March 5, Hiran was found dead in creek near Mumbra, with six handkerchiefs stuffed in his mouth and his face covered by a scarf.
NIA took over both the cases and has arrested 10 people. The other accused include controversial ex-police officer Sachin Vaze, his former crime branch colleague Riyazuddin Kazi and ex-encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma. NIA has also arrested former constable Vinayak Shinde who is a life convict in a fake encounter killing case, cricket bookie Naresh Gor, and two others – Satish Mothukari and Manish Soni.
Vaze was originally in charge of the investigation of the Antilia case, but was removed after reports emerged of his links with Hiran, who had reported the SUV stolen on February 17. It subsequently emerged that Vaze had borrowed the SUV in November and returned it in early February. NIA has claimed that it was Vaze who had planted the explosives-laden vehicle near Ambani’s residence and the other police officers arrested in the case were allegedly involved in larger conspiracy.
NIA further alleged that they got Hiran killed after he refused to take the blame for planting the SUV and getting arrested in the case.
According to NIA, Soni was driving the car in which Shelar, Jadhav and Mothukari smothered the 48-year-old trader, along Ghodbunder Road. The Tavera car was owned by Shelar. The four later dumped Hiran’s body in a creek near Mumbra.
