One year after Antilia explosives case, one accused on bail

It has been a year since a car was found outside the residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani containing 20 gelatin sticks and a note threatening the family and the only one accused is out on bail.

An FIR (First Information Report) was registered regarding this at Gamdevi police station and subsequently, an FIR was registered at Vikhroli police station for theft of the above mentioned car, along with an accidental death report pertaining to recovery of a dead body of Mansukh Hiren.

Hiren, 48, is the alleged owner of the car who had reported about its absence a week earlier to the local police. However, on March 5, his body was found dumped in a creek. After three days, the case was transferred from Maharashtra police to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). On March 13, the infamous encounter specialist cop Sachin Vaze was arrested for his “role and involvement in placing the explosives laden vehicle.”

On March 17, then Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh was transferred and made the Director General of Maharashtra Home Guard for “mishandling the case”. After three days, he wrote a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray levying corruption charges on the then Home Minister of Maharashtra Anil Deshmukh (who had appointed Mr. Singh as Commissioner). The letter alleged instances of Mr. Deshmukh directing Mr. Vaze and others to collect ₹100 crores from bars and restaurants over a month.

On March 30, retired justice K.U. Chandiwal was appointed to head a judicial commission to probe corruption charges against Mr. Deshmukh.

Meanwhile, following a public interest litigation (PIL) before the Bombay High Court, on April 5, the Chief Justice directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct a preliminary inquiry against Mr. Deshmukh. As a result of which he resigned and on April 21, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) registered an FIR against Mr. Deshmukh. He is currently lodged at the Arthur Road Jail on charges of money laundering.

On September 4, NIA filed a chargesheet against Riyazuddin Kazi – officer at the criminal intelligence unit of Mumbai crime branch, Sunil Mane - dismissed crime branch inspector, Naresh Gor - cricket bookie, and Vinayak Shinde, an accused in Lakhan Bhaiya encounter case and a dismissed police constable along with encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma, Santosh Shelar, Anand Jadhav, Satish Mothkuri, and Manish Soni.