PremiumDays after a vehicle with explosives was found near Reliance Industries Ltd's chairman Mukesh Ambani residence 'Antilia' in Mumbai, police on Friday informed that the vehicle's owner has committed suicide.
Divulging information on the same, Thane DCP told reporters, "The body of one Mansukh Hiren whose car was found outside Mukesh Ambani's residence (with gelatin inside it), died by suicide by jumping into Kalwa creek. Accidental Death Report (ADR) registered."
In a later development, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, in the state legislative Assemblyclarified, "Car's owner was Sam Muten who had given it to Mansukh Hiren for maintenance of its interior. Hiren had kept the car in his custody when Sam didn't pay for it."
Deshmukh also said, "The cause of death will be ascertained through postmortem. It will be done by a technical team. We have given the responsibility of this investigation to ATS."
Meanwhile, BJP's member Devendra Fadnavis demanded that case be handed over to National Investigation Agency (NIA) saying, "I asked in House for protection to Mansukh Hiren, as he's the main link in the case and might be in danger. Now we get to know of his body being found. It makes the case fishy. Looking at this and alleged terror angle, we demand that case be handed over to NIA."
Earlier, the Crime Branch of Mumbai police recorded the statements of 25 persons in its probe.
A Scorpio with 2.5 kg of gelatin sticks, an explosive material, was found near `Antilia', the multi-storey house of Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries, on 25 February evening.
Antilia has three rooftop helipads, parking for 168 cars, a 50-seat movie theater, three floors of Babylon-inspired hanging gardens, a yoga studio and a fitness center.
A letter found inside the SUV purportedly threatened Ambani and his family.
The Scorpio had been stolen from Mulund area a week ago, police said.
CCTV footage showed that the Scorpio, along with another vehicle under probe the Innova, reaching the spot in the early hours of Thursday, and the driver of Scorpio then got down and left in the other vehicle.
The police were also investigating from where the gelatin sticks were procured, the official said.
The seized Scorpio has been sent for forensic examination, he said.
Earlier, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh had tweeted, "Twenty gelatin explosives sticks were found in a Scorpio van in the vicinity of industrialist Mukesh Ambani''s residence in Mumbai. The Mumbai Crime Branch police is investigating the matter and the findings will be out soon."
