NEW DELHI: A murder case has now been registered into the mysterious death of Mansukh Hiren, whose SUV laden with gelatin sticks was found abandoned near the house of industrialist Mukesh Ambani in Mumbai.
The case was being probed as ‘accidental death’ but has now been converted to one of murder following a complaint by the deceased’s wife. The complaint for alleged criminal conspiracy, murder, and attempts to destroy evidence has been lodged against ‘unidentified persons.’
Hiren’s body was found in a creek near Thane last week. Maharashtra ATS has now taken over the probe from the Mumbra Police.
Hiren’s autopsy report accessed by TOI on Saturday revealed “minor abrasions on his face on the left side, the upper part of the nostril, the right cheek up to the chin and the right eye”. The report stated that his ribs, cartilages, lungs and pericardium were intact, but reserved the cause of death.
It has now emerged that he had written to the chief minister, the state home minister as well as Thane and Mumbai police commissioners on March 2 seeking protection due to alleged harassment by police.

Sources said a letter sent by Hiren to the chief minister and other authorities mentions in detail the visits he had made to police and the questions he was being asked by various investigating agencies. In the letter, he purportedly stated, “Interrogation from the various agencies have (sic) disturbed my peace of mind and in spite of being a victim I am treated as an accused.”
The letter further read, “I am being harassed, without having any knowledge about the culprits, who not only committed theft of my said vehicle but also misused and abandoned the same as mentioned herein above. I have already given my explanation and statements that how my said vehicle was stolen and I am victimised, but still unnecessarily suffering harassment at the instance of policemen and news reporters as mentioned hereinabove.”
On February 25, an SUV laden with explosives was found parked near Antilia, the Ambani residence, on Carmichael Road. Police had also found a threat letter addressed to the Ambani family. Hiren had claimed that he was the owner of the SUV and that it had been stolen from Mulund-Airoli Road, where he had parked it on February 17 after it had developed a snag.
ATS has already recorded the statement of the app cab driver who had dropped Hiren to CST on February 17 after the vehicle developed a snag. He reportedly said Hiren had booked the car to go to Crawford Market but changed the location to CST later.