Nagpur:NCP (SP) leader Anil Deshmukh on Thursday hit out at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over the latter's comments on the murder of Thane-based businessman Mansukh Hiren in connection with the Antilia bomb scare case. Speaking at the 'Majha Vision' event of ABP news channel on Wednesday, Fadnavis had asked if Deshmukh, who was state home minister at the time, knew if Hiren would be killed.
The Antilia bomb scare case dates back to February 25, 2021 when an explosives-laden vehicle was found parked near the south Mumbai residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani. On March 5 that year, Hiren, who had claimed the vehicle was his and had been stolen, was found dead in a creek in Thane.
Asserting that Fadnavis, despite holding the state home portfolio, does not know the basics of police procedures, Deshmukh also claimed police officer Sachin Waze, who was held in the case, and then Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh were close to the senior BJP leader.
Hiren was found dead when the inquiry into who parked the explosives-laden vehicle was at its last stage, Deshmukh said. "The police knew it was Hiren's body but they could not declare it so till the family of the deceased identified it. After the body was identified and other procedures were completed, police announced it was Hiren's body," Deshmukh said.
"I knew it was his body but I declared it officially after completion of police procedure. I am surprised how Devendra Fadnavis, who is home minister, does not about police procedures," Deshmukh further said. The NCP (SP) leader also alleged Waze was close to Param Bir Singh, who in turn was a close aide of Fadnavis.
After Waze was arrested in the bomb scare and Hiren murder case, it came to light that Singh was the mastermind, Deshmukh alleged. Singh told Fadnavis about Hiren's death as the National Investigation Agency was about to arrest the former police commissioner, the NCP (SP) leader further alleged. Singh has been protected by the BJP and its central leadership and, therefore, was not arrested, Deshmukh alleged.
