The case of the recovery of gelatin sticks in an SUV outside Reliance Industries Limited Chairman Mukesh Ambani’s Mumbai home, Antilia, turned curiouser on Friday with the recovery of the body of the owner of that vehicle. Mumbai Police say that he had died by suicide.  

Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Friday said that the scorpio found outside Ambani’s residence did not belong to Hiren, under whose custody the vehicle was at the time of being found.

“A Scorpio was found outside Mukesh Ambani’s residence on Feb 25, explosives were found inside the vehicle. Investigation was underway. But today body of Mansukh Hiren, in whose custody the vehicle was-it didn’t belong to him, has been found in Mumbra”, news agency ANI quoted Deshmukh as saying.

The Home Minister further added that the cause of death would be ascertained through postmortem by a technical team, and that the investigation would be handled by the Anti Terrorism Squad.

Also read: Crime branch to probe security breach outside Mukesh Ambani’s Antilia

“The body of one Mansukh Hiren whose car was found outside Mukesh Ambani’s residence (with gelatin inside it), (he) died by suicide by jumping into Kalwa creek. Accidental Death Report (ADR) registered,” said Thane DCP, according to news agency ANI.

Former Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis was quick to attack the Sena-NCP- Congress government of the state. “I had asked in the House for protection to Mansukh Hiren, as he’s the main link in the case and might be in danger. Now we get to know of his body being found. It makes the case fishy. Looking at this and alleged terror angle, we demand that case be handed over to NIA,” he said.

An abandoned SUV with explosives was found metres away from Mukesh Ambani’s Mumbai home on February 25 and the Mumbai Police Crime Branch is investigating the case. The vehicle was found on Carmichael Road.

The handwritten letter, written in broken English, was addressed to Mukesh and Neeta Ambani. According to media reports, It stated that planted explosives was just a ‘trailer’ and they will return with more preparations to assassinate the whole family later.

Security was immediately tightened around the home of one of the world’s richest man.

Also read: Jaish-ul-Hind claims responsibility of explosives-laden SUV near Mukesh Ambani’s house

Antilia is known for its three rooftop helipads, parking for 168 cars, a 50-seat movie theater, three floors of Babylon-inspired hanging gardens, a yoga studio and a fitness centre.