Mukesh Ambani bomb scare: Encounter specialist Sachin Vaze denies meeting dead SUV owner

Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis in  the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly questioned Sachin Vaze's role in the Antilia bomb scare case. Barely hours later, the body of Mansukh Hiren, the registered owner of the Scorpio abandoned outside the Ambanis' home was found dead in Thane. Reacting to the claims made by the BJP leader, Vaze in a interview with India Today, denied claims that he was in touch with Mansukh Hiren. However, he agreed that he knew Hiren, as he is from Thane. “I know Mansukh Hiren as he is also from Thane. I did not meet him recently,” Vaze told India Today. He also claimed that Mansukh Hiren was being harassed. “Mansukh Hiren had actually complained that there are some police officials and reporters who were harassing him. The cops and reporters kept on harassing him. I don’t know anything more.” He also denied the claim that he was first to reach the spot, saying that several other police officials had reached the spot where the SUV was parked before him.

Addressing the Maharashtra assembly, ex-CM Devendra Fadnavis has demanded that the probe into the gelatin sticks found in a car near Antilla must be handed over to the NIA. He said, "The owner of the vehicle met a person at Crawford Market. Who is that? The vehicle owner lives in Thane and the police officer who was the first to reach the spot also lives in Thane. So many coincidences lead to suspicion and hence the probe must be handed over to the NIA." For the unversed, on 25 February, at around 3 PM, the Mumbai Police received information of a suspicious car parked outside the residence of Mukesh Ambani. The Police team reached the spot immediately with the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS). The car (green Scorpio) was spotted by security personnel outside his residence. Loaded with explosive gelatin sticks, the car was towed away by the bomb disposal squad. A primary investigation from the CCTV revealed that the car had been parked near the residence since 1 AM, intervening night on between Wednesday-Thursday. A purported threat letter was also found in the car. After the incident, security for the Ambanis' is said to be increased with the deployment of around 58 CRPF commandos.