Antilia SUV case: NIA nabs two suburban residents

MUMBAI: The National Investigation Agency has arrested two more persons in connection with the probe into the sensational cause of a SUV planted with gelatin sticks near Antilia building and the murder of its owner, officials said here on Tuesday.

The duo has been identified as Santosh Atmaram Shelar and Anand Pandurang Jadhav, both residents of the Kurar village, a slum pocket in Malad east suburb.

Arrested four days ago, they were produced before a Special NIA Court and remanded to the agency's custody till June 21.

Though the extent of their involvement and their exact role is being ascertained in the two cases, both Jadhav and Shelar are suspected to be part of the overall conspiracy of the cases which sparked off a massive row in Feb this year.

Earlier, the NIA has arrested a total of five persons including ex-police personnel like Sachin Vaze, Riyazuddin Kazi, Sunil Mane, a convicted former cop Vinayak Shinde besides a cricket bookie Naresh Gor, and with two more nabbed, the total number of arrested accused has gone up to 7 now.

The fresh arrests came shortly after the Special NIA Court granted a two-month extension to the agency to file its chargesheet in the case. It may be recalled that on Feb. 25, the mystery SUV with 20 gelatin sticks and a threat note to India's premier businessman Mukesh Ambani and his family was found near his Antilia home. A week later on March 5, the body of the SUV owner and Thane businessman Mansukh Hiran was recovered from the marshes of Thane Creek, as the twin cases triggered a nationwide political furore. (IANS)

Also Read: SUV case: Sachin Vaze sent to judicial custody till April 23

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