A day after arresting two persons and claiming to solve the murder of Thane-based businessman Mansukh Hiran, the state Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) continues to dig dip into the entire murder conspiracy. On Monday the ATS has detained a Gujarat man for allegedly providing 14 SIM cards to the accused.
The ATS team on Monday took both the accused Vinayak Shinde, 51, and Naresh Gaur, 31 to Retibunder Creek in Mumbra from where Hiran's body was recovered on March 5. The ATS also raided a godown in Majiwada reportedly belongs to suspended API Sachin Vaze, who already in NIA custody for allegedly parking an explosive-laden vehicle near industrialists Mukesh Ambani's house in South Mumbai. The ATS also suspects that those cars were seized by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) we're allegedly kept in this godown.
Shinde is a suspended cop who was sentenced to life imprisonment in Lakhan Bhaiya fake encounter case who was released from jail on parole in May 2020, while Gaur is a cricket bookie.
The ATS is claiming Vaze is the main accused in the murder case and Shinde after coming out of jail he was in touch with Vaze and helping him in his illegal activities. According to the ATS sources, prima facie, it was Shinde who posing as one crime branch officer "Tawade" called Hiran to Ghodbunder Road a day before his murder.
The NIA is probing if Vaze had used forged identity documents in the alleged criminal conspiracy of placing gelatin sticks laden SUV near Ambani's residence. According to the sources, privy to the investigation, the agency has come across some information that Vaze had taken accommodation in a South-Mumbai hotel in February during the period of February 16 to 20 and had allegedly used a forged identity document which had his photograph but name and other details were different. The agency is working on the said information to ascertain if this was done by Vaze to ensure that his identity does not get revealed anywhere.