The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested two persons more persons for their alleged involvement in connection with the Antilla bomb scare case.
Those arrested have been identified as Santosh Atmaram Shelar and Anand Pandurang Jadhav, both residents of Kurar Village in Malad, Mumbai.
"Their names had cropped up during the ongoing probe after which they were arrested on June 11. They were produced before the court which remanded them to NIA custody till June 21. They are being examined in planting of explosives as well as Hiran's murder," said an official, refusing to divulge any information about their alleged roles in the crime.
An explosives-laden SUV was found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's house near Carmichael Road on February 25. Hiran, a Thane-based businessman, had claimed that he was in possession of the said SUV, but the vehicle had been stolen before its recovery near Antilla, Ambani's multi-storey residence. Hiran's body was found in a creek in Mumbra on March 5. NIA later took over bomb scare probe.
The Maharashtra ATS which was earlier probing the murder of Hiran had arrested bookie Naresh Gor and convicted police constable Vinayak Shinde in the murder case. Their custody were later handed over to NIA after Hiran murder probe was taken over by the central agency.
The NIA had arrested assistant police inspector Sachin Vaze, API Riyazuddin Kazi and inspector Sunil Mane too in the said cases. All four policemen involved in the case were later dismissed from the police service.
Recently, a special NIA court had allowed the agency an additional 60 days’ time to file the chargesheet in the Antilia security scare - Mansukh Hiran murder case, stating that the investigation is being carried out in many folds.
NIA had sought an additional 90 days to file the chargesheet. In its plea, it had said its probe was impeded by the statewide lockdown due to the second wave, due to which it could not examine witnesses, collect material evidence and file the chargesheet in the stipulated 90 days time. It also said that documents collected during the probe are voluminous, requiring more time. The five accused in a larger conspiracy with other persons had placed a threat letter along with gelatin sticks in a vehicle in order to threaten the Ambani family, the plea stated. It mentioned that, subsequently, another threat letter from Jaish ul Hind, demanding money, was received and that the involvement of Jaish ul Hind needs deeper probe regarding terrorist involvement.
