Leader of Opposition and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Monday demanded the arrest of police officer Sachin Vaze in connection with the mysterious death of auto parts dealer Mansukh Hiren. He is said to be the owner of the explosives-laden vehicle found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence.
Devendra Fadnavis's comments in the Maharashtra Assembly led to an uproar in the House, with the Shiv Sena raising the issue of alleged suicide of Dadra and Nagar Haveli Lok Sabha member, Mohan Delkar.
Before the adjournment, Fadnavis said Hiren's wife in her statement to police has said that her husband knew assistant police inspector, Sachin Vaze, and the Scorpio was with the police official for four months.
Quoting the statement of Mansukh Hiren's wife, Fadvanis said: "Vaze (who was investigating officer in case of recovery of explosives near Mukesh Ambani's house) was in possession of the suspected car (in which explosive were found) for 4 months."
The Leader of Opposition demanded that Vaze be arrested under Indian Penal Code Section 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence). "Why he is not being arrested under Section 201 of IPC (destroying evidence)? Who is defending him?" Fadnavis asked.
The Maharashtra Police on Friday said that an unknown male corpse was found in Retibunder Creek on Retibunder road in Mumbra West. Later the corpse was identified as Hiren, a resident of Thane whose vehicle with gelatin sticks was found parked on Carmichael Road near Ambani's residence Antilia. The police said prima facie it appears that Hiren died by suicide.
The car, a Scorpio, with 20 gelatin sticks inside was found near 'Antilia', the multi-storey residence of Mukesh Ambani in south Mumbai, on February 25.
Hiren purportedly wrote a letter on March 2 to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and police commissioners of Thane and Mumbai, alleging that he was being harassed by the police and media since the vehicle was found outside Ambani's house. He had also claimed that despite being a victim, he was treated like an accused.
(Inputs from PTI)
