In a major update, a senior police official in Maharashta said on Sunday that the death case of Thane businessman Mansukh Hiran, who was found dead on March 5 in Mumbai, has been solved. Hiran was the owner of a vehicle that was found containing explosives outside industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence Antilia. Shivdeep Lande, Deputy inspector General (DIG) of Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), told news agency ANI that the case has been solved after the arrest of two people in connection with Hiran's death. The two people who have been arrested are Naresh Dhare - a bookie - and suspended Mumbai police constable Vinayak Shinde. Shinde was sentenced to life imprisonment in connection with the Lakhanbhaiya encounter case.
After being released on parole in 2020, he has been in touch with Sachin Vaze - who has been arrested in the Ambani security threat cases - and helped him in his work. The two accused were presented in the court on Sunday and have been directed to stay in ATS custody till March 30. Vaze was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) which is investigating the bomb scare case and recovery of explosives from a car parked near Ambani's house on February 25. He has been sent to NIA custody till March 25 in connection with his alleged role and involvement in placing an explosives-laden vehicle. Hiran's wife Vimla told investigators that she was certain her husband had been murdered, and that she suspected Vaze had a hand in it. The body of 48-year-old washed up on the Reti Bunder creek in Mumbra, Thane district. Till he went missing on the night of March 4, Hiran cooperated with the police who questioned him repeatedly after an SUV that he had been driving for three years and reported stolen on February 18, was found parked outside Antilia. The car had 20 sticks of gelatin (no detonator or timer) and a threatening letter addressed to Ambani.