The National Investigation Agency (NIA) will investigate the case of the suspicious SUV found near billionaire Mukesh Ambani's residence in Mumbai, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced on Monday. It also stated that the central agency will investigate Mansukh Hiren's death, adding that the case is currently being re-registered.
In an official statement, the central agency said, "NIA has received orders from MHA, GOI for investigation of case FIR 35/2020 registered at PS Gamdevi on February 25. This case relates to the recovery of explosives from a Mahindra Scorpio parked at Carmichael Road, Mumbai. NIA is in the process of re-registering the case."
It is pertinent to note that the matter got complicated with the death of Mansukh Hiren, whose SUV laden with gelatin sticks was found abandoned near the house of Ambani in Mumbai. On Sunday, the Mumbai Police had registered a case of Murder. The case was initially being investigated as an 'accidental death,' but after a complaint from the deceased's wife, it has now been converted to a murder investigation.
The autopsy report of Hiren highlighted that "minor abrasions on his face on the left side, the upper part of the nostril, the right cheek up to the chin and the right eye". The report further added that his ribs, cartilages, lungs, and pericardium were intact, but reserved the cause of death.
Harassment from the Police?
As per a few media reports, on March 2nd, Hiren wrote to the chief minister, the state home minister, as well as the Thane and Mumbai police commissioners, requesting protection from alleged police harassment.
Moreover, his letter to the chief minister, Uddhav Thackrey and other officials goes into great detail about the police visits he made and the questions he was asked by multiple investigation agencies. "Interrogation from different agencies have (sic) disrupted my peace of mind, and in spite of being a survivor, I am regarded as an accused," he allegedly wrote in the letter.
