Ambani SUV case: Something fishy, says Thackeray as NIA enters probe

Mumbai, March 8 Soon after the Centre took over the case of the SUV with 20 gelatin stick found near the home business tycoon Mukesh Ambani from the Maharashtra ATS, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray described the development as "something fishy".

"There is something fishy and hence the case has been taken over by the NIA. We will ensure that whatever is fishy is exposed," Thackeray said.

In an abrupt move, the Ministry of Home Affairs has asked the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to take over the probe, barely after state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh informed the Maharashtra Legislature on the status of the cases pertaining to the abandoned SUV and the murder of its owner Mansukh Hiren, which were handed over to the Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS).

While Thackeray hit back by assuring a full-fledged probe into the alleged suicide of Dadra & Nagar Haveli MP Manoj Delkar in Mumbai last month, Deshmukh said the state will continue the probe into Hiren's case.

The CM added that it's clear that the opposition BJP does not have faith in the "government machinery", as governments may come and go, but the administrative set-up remains the same and one must "trust it".

In an apparent retaliatory move, he said the Maharashtra Police will conduct a detailed probe into the death of seven-time Lok Sabha MP Delkar on February 22, and "punish the guilty".

"An Union Territory is governed by the Centre. I wonder why the opposition (BJP) is quiet on the issue of a seven-time MP ending his life. There are names in his suicide note and Delkar's family has faith in the MVA government for a fair probe. We will take the case to its logical end," Thackeray declared.

Barely 48 hours after Hiren's body was fished out of the Thane Creek wetlands near Mumbra town on March 5, the state government had asked the ATS to take over the case from the Thane Police.

The ATS was in the process of re-registering an FIR with murder charges against some unknown persons and probe even the case of the abandoned SUV outside Antilia on February 25, its ownership, the gelatin sticks and purported threat letter found in it, resulting in a furore in corporate and political circles.