Investigators said Sachin Vaze was driving the Mercedes and Mansukh Hiran joined him.
Bombay:
Mansukh Hiran, the owner of the explosive-filled SUV found near Mukesh Ambani’s home, is suspected of handing over the keys to the vehicle to police officer Sachin Vaze on February 17 during a meeting in the Fort area of Mumbai, officials said. sources to NDTV. Sachin Vaze, a controversial officer who was initially in charge of the investigation, has already been arrested in the case.
Mansukh Hiran had left his Scorpio car on the Vikhroli Highway on February 17. A CCTV video from the same night, around 8.25pm, from the Fort area, shows the businessman crossing a street and getting into a black Mercedes waiting for the signal with his hazard lights on.
Investigators say Sachin Vaze was driving the Mercedes and suspect this was the meeting during which Mansukh Hiran handed him the keys to the Scorpio.
Mansukh Hiran had claimed that he had parked his Scorpio on the road in the Vikhroli area of central Mumbai and had hired a taxi to get to the Crawford market in South Mumbai. The next day, he found out that his truck had been stolen.
His statement to the police was recorded by Sachin Vaze while he was running the Criminal Intelligence Unit. But at the time, he did not record his February 17 meeting with Hiran.
A week later, the Scorpio was found abandoned on Carmichael Road, about 1.4 km from Antilia, Mukesh Ambani’s 27-story home in South Mumbai, on March 4. A bomb disposal team found 20 sticks of jelly in it, and a letter addressed to the President of Reliance and Nita Ambani.
Mansukh Hiran, 45, who was also an auto parts dealer, was found dead near a stream near Mumbai on March 5. He was reported missing a few days earlier.
Thane’s businessman had previously alleged that he was being harassed by police officers and journalists and had written to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Interior Minister Anil Desmukh and the Mumbai Police Chief demanding protection.
The Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad, which was investigating the matter, has claimed that Sachin Vaze was involved in Mansukh Hiran’s death. The suspended officer is in the custody of the National Investigative Agency, which is investigating the Ambani bomb scare case.
Sachin Vaze, who had previously resigned from the police force and joined Shiv Sena, was reinstated after the Covid outbreak.
.
