ATS Claims Mansukh Hiren Case Is Solved, Chief Meets HM Deshmukh

Hiren, the owner of the SUV laden with explosives outside Mukesh Ambani’s home, was found dead on 5 March.

Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) Chief Jai Jeet Singh met with Home Minister Anil Deshmukh at his official residence in Mumbai on Monday, 22 March.

The ATS has claimed to have solved the Mansukh Hiren murder case, told a source to The Quint.

This comes a day after the ATS arrested two people in connection with the murder probe of Hiren – the owner of the SUV that was found laden with explosives outside Antilia (the Ambani residence) in Mumbai on 25 February.

Naresh Dhare, a 31-year-old bookie, and Vinayak Shinde, a 55-year-old suspended constable presently on parole, were detained on Sunday morning, and subsequently arrested.

Shinde Posed as ‘Tawde’ to Call Hiren

Sources told The Quint that Shinde – who was allegedly close to the accused former cop Sachin Vaze – had called Hiren posing as ‘Tawde’ from the Kandivali Crime Branch on 4 March. He had asked him to meet in Mumbai’s Ghodbunder area. Hiren was found dead a day later.

In the FIR registered on 7 March, Hiren’s wife Kamala had alleged that he had left the house after a phone call from a certain police officer named ‘Tawde’.

Dhare, a bookie, had allegedly helped Shinde get a SIM card registered in Gujarat to make the phone call to Hiren.

The Mansukh Hiren Case

Hiren, the owner of the SUV that was found laden with explosives outside Mukesh Ambani’s residence, was found dead in a creek on 5 March.

Hiren’s car had been stolen from him just days before being discovered outside Antilla, on 25 February.

Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday, 20 March, took over the case.

A formal order from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has been issued to the NIA in this regard, sources told The Quint.

Earlier, on 8 March, the NIA had only taken over the case of explosives being discovered outside Antilia, which is being probed separately.

While former police officer Vaze had been arrested in the explosives case by the NIA, his alleged involvement in Hiren’s death was still being probed by the ATS.