As the Antilia Security Scare case snowballs into a hugepolitical controversy that could upset the equations in the Maha Vikas Aghadi(MVA) government in Maharashtra, the biggest question arises here is that how theletter of ex-Mumbai Police Chief Param Bir Singh leaked to the media.
There are several key questions that still remainunanswered in the case, also it is worthwhile to see if the accusations ofex-Mumbai Cop would change the political implications for CM Uddhav Thackerayor the letter itself is an another conspiracy to shake the present governmentin Maharashtra.
Here’sa complete timeline of how the events unfolded in the SUV-Ambani Case:
OnFeb 25: An SUV filled with at least 20 gelatin sticks was foundabandoned outside Antilia, the lavish multi-storied home of billionaire industrialistMukesh Ambani. Late in the night on the same day, Mumbai Police spokespersonDCP S. Chaitanya revealed that two persons had abandoned an SUV and a letter hasbeen found inside the vehicle, but declined to reveal its content.
OnFeb 26: The Mumbai Police registered an FIR and launched amassive manhunt to track the two persons who abandoned an SUV with 20 gelatinsticks near the landmark Antilia builidng, the home of Reliance Industries Ltd(RIL) Chairman Mukesh Ambani.
The FIR was registered at the Gamdevi Police Stationinvoking Indian Penal Code Sec. 286, 465, 473, 120(b), 506(2) pertaining toexplosives, forgery, criminal conspiracy and criminal intimidation, and Sec. 4of Explosives Substance Act for attempt to cause explosion, or for making orkeeping it with intent to endanger life or property.
OnMarch 5: Maharashtra Police recovered the body of a Thane-basedbusinessman Mansukh Hiren, whose stolen SUV with 20 gelatin sticks was foundparked near Antilia. Reported missing by his family, the policerecovered his mud-caked body around 10.30am from Reti Bunder Road near ThaneCreek. Body was then sent for an autopsy.
Hiren's suspiciously parked SUV, as reported by Police wasapparently driven to the spot near Antilia in the wee hours of February 25 butwas detected only after around 12 hours by some locals who alerted the Police.
The case on March 5 late in the night was handed over tothe Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS).
OnMarch 6: Nearly 18 hours after the autopsy on businessman MansukhHiren, his distraught family accepted his mortal remains for the last rites. Closerelatives, including his brother, went to a hospital in Kalwe, completed therelevent formalities and took charge of Hiren's body.
However, the autopsy report comprising the findings andopinion of the four-member medical team were kept in 'reserve' while hisviscera were preserved for a forensic analysis.
Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, Director-Generalof Police Hemant Nagrale and other officials had a meeting on March 6,ostensibly to discuss the Hiren issue, review the probe by ATS and relatedmatters. The officials though then remained tightlipped.
OnMarch 8: Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said that theAnti Terrorist Squad (ATS) had registered a murder case and launchedinvestigations into the mystery of Thane businessman Mansukh Hiren's body recoveryfrom the Thane Creek wetlands on March 5.
The ATS has set up around 10 investigation teams to probedifferent aspects of the probe, which visited the Hiren family and the marshesfrom where his body was fished out. On a complaint by Vimala Hiren, the ATSthen registered a FIR under Indian Penal Code's Sec. 302 (murder), 201 (causingdisappearance of evidence), 34 (common intention), and 120B (criminalconspiracy), against some unknown persons.
On March 8 only NIA took over the probe to which CMThackeray said that it's clear that the opposition BJP does not have faith inthe "government machinery", as governments may come and go, but theadministrative set-up remains the same and one must "trust it".
On March9:The wife of slain businessman Mansukh Hiren accused Assistant Police-InspectorSachin Vaze of killing her husband, prompting the Opposition BJP to demand thepolicemans suspension and arrest.
The Maharashtra Assembly witnessed an uproar that day afterit emerged that Vimla Hiren had lodged an FIR with the Kalachowki policestation on March 7, in which she has stated, "I suspect (API) Vaze musthave murdered my husband", and demanded an investigation”.
She made some shocking revelations in her complaint. Shesaid that since November 2020, the SUV was given by her husband to Vaze, whoreturned it on February 5 as its steering wheel was getting jammed.
“On February 17, Hiren had left his Thane home for Mumbaiin the same Scorpio but the steering got jammed and he left it near the Mulundtoll post and took off in a private taxi. The following morning, Hiren and amechanic returned to the spot but the SUV was missing, following which helodged a complaint with the Vikhroli police station on February 18”, she saidin police complaint.
OnMarch 10: After Vimla M. Hiren, the widow of slain Thanebusinessman Mansukh Hiren pointed an accusing finger at Mumbai Crime Branchofficer Sachin Vaze, the government transferred him from crime branch to otherdepartment.
OnMarch 12: In the case, the Tihar jail officials seized a mobilehandset and SIM card on which a Telegram account in the name of 'Jaish-ul-Hind'was created.
OnMarch 13: Sachin Vaze who was under the radar of the NIA, hintedat ending his life. In an ominous WhatsApp status, Assistant Police InspectorSachin Vaze, who was likely to be probed by the National Investigation Agency(NIA) and the Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) -- claimed he was soughtto be implicated in a similar incident earlier.
In a short update, disturbed Vaze hinted at thepossibility of ending his life as the case investigations get underway, saying:"I think the time to say goodbye to the world is coming closer."
OnMarch 14: Sachin Vaze was arrested and sent to NIA custody tillMarch 25. He was under probe by the NIA and the Maharashtra Anti TerrorismSquad (ATS) for allegedly planting 20 gelatin sticks in the SUV which was foundoutside Antilia building on February 25, followed by the death of Thanebusinessman Mansukh Hiren on March 5.
An officer of the 1990-batch of the Maharashtra Policecadre, Vaze, 49, had earlier been suspended for his role in the custodial deathof Khawaja Yunus, a suspect in the 2002 Ghatkopar bomb blast case.
OnMarch 15: The NIA summoned another Mumbai Police officer RiyazKazi for questioning in connection with the case. Besides Kazi, at least threeother Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) policemen were questioned by NIA in thesame case.
OnMarch 16: The NIA started probing how and why the Mumbai Policereportedly collected CCTV footages from the building where suspended CrimeIntelligence Unit (CIU) officer Sachin Vaze resides. The NIA seized a blackcolour Mercedes Benz which it said was used by arrested Mumbai police officialSachin Vaze. Besides this, the NIA also seized Rs 5 lakh cash, a currency notecounting machine and some clothes.
OnMarch 17: The Maharashtra government shunted out MumbaiCommissioner of Police Param Bir Singh and replaced him with currentDirector-General of Police Hemant Nagrale.
Former Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis toocommented on the issue and said that Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray hadcalled him in 2018, requesting him to reinstate Sachin Vaze in the police.
He also pointed out fingers saying the owner of theexplosives-laden SUV, Mansukh Hiren, did not commit suicide but was murdered.
OnMarch 18: Kumar Ketkar, the Congress MP from Maharashtra in theRajya Sabha raised the issue of death of Mansukh Hiren. The Congress MP soughtan investigation into the role of the suppliers who had provided the gelatinsticks, which were found in the Scorpio parked outside the house of MukeshAmbani.
Besides, Bharatiya Janata Party MP Narayan Rane also soughtthe resignation of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray as thegovernment grapples with the fallout of the SUV case.
In addition, crucial audio tapes in possession of theNational Investigation Agency (NIA) and interrogation of several policeofficers revealed that disgraced "encounter specialist" Sachin Vazehad bypassed police hierarchy while handling the SUV case.
OnMarch 19: Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh called onNationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar along with state NCP chiefJayant Patil and others in New Delhi.
On the same day, NIA team met newly-appointed MumbaiPolice Commissioner Hemant Nagrale at his office. NIA team also surveyed theelite Crime Intelligence Unit (ICU) of the Crime Branch which functions underthe city police chief and handles some of the most sensitive cases, many ofwhich were handled by the arrested-suspended Assistant Police Inspector SachinVaze in the last one year or so.
OnMarch 20: The NIA attempted to "recreate" the crime scenein which an SUV (Scorpio) with 20 gelatin sticks and a threat note was parkednear the Antilia. Secured by a large posse of Mumbai Police, the NIA made Vaze'walk down the road' near Antilia from the spot where the SUV was recovered, tocheck his gait, movement, timings, etc, to tally with the investigations andevidence collected so far in the case.
Yesterday only, the NIA received a notification from theMinistry of Home Affairs to probe the case of death of Hiren. And NIA said thatthey will soon register a case.
The sensationaltwist: Former Mumbai Commissioner of Police Param Bir Singh in aletter addressed to CM Maharashtra, alleged that Home Minister Anil Deshmukh wantedhis team member, arrested cop Sachin Vaze, to 'collect' Rs 100 crore per monthfrom bars and hookah parlours.
After ‘letter bomb’ the Chief Minister’s Office said thatthe letter was not received from the IPS officers known official email id, evenas Home Minister Anil Deshmukh charged Singh with conspiracy and threatened tofile a defamation case.
OnMarch 21: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Supremo Sharad Pawar hassummoned Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and party chief Jayant Patil to Delhion Sunday to discuss the fallout of the allegations against the party leaderand Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh.
Later taking a serious note of the allegations ofcorruption levelled against Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh by formerMumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh, Sharad Pawar said that the matteris serious, and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray can take action.
Besides, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arresteda dismissed policeman and a bookie in connection with the mysterious death of Thanebusinessman Mansukh Hiran. Convicted Mumbai policeman Vinayak B. Shinde, 51 andcricket bookie Naresh R. Gor, 31, were held as part of the investigations intothe death case of Hiran.