Court Orders Maharashtra ATS To Stop Probe Into Mansukh Hiren’s Death And Handover Case To NIA

The Thane Sessions Court directed the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) to stop the probe into Mansukh Hiren's death and hand over the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The court's order came on a plea by the Central agency which complained that the ATS is yet to hand over relevant documents despite taking over the case on March 20. NIA took over the Antilia bomb scare case on 8 March and registered an FIR, reports Republic.

An explosive-laden SUV being found on 25 February near the house of industrialist Mukesh Ambani. The investigation in the case took a drastic turn with the dead body of Mansukh Hiren being found on 5 March.

Mansukh Hiren, a Thane-based automobile spare parts businessman, was the legal owner of the SUV. Hiren’s death brought the focus on Sachin Vaze, a Mumbai crime branch officer and an “encounter specialist”, after Hiren’s wife accused him of murdering her husband.

Upon investigation, NIA has come to find out that Vaze indeed was involved in the case as a culprit and had also used his position in the police to destroy evidence.

On 13 March, late at night, Sachin Vaze was arrested after 12 hours of questioning. Vaze was booked by NIA under Sections 120 (B) for criminal conspiracy; 286 for negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance; 465 for forgery; 473 for making or possessing counterfeit seals and 506(2) for criminal intimidation.

The NIA has determined that Vaze himself drove the explosive-laden SUV to the spot on 25 February, and then left in the Innova car.