State cops enter fray: ATS begins hunt for missing link

Vimla Hiran

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has launched a massive manhunt for a police officer identified by Mansukh Hiran's wife, Vimla, as ‘Tawade'. According to Vimla's statement, Hiran went to Ghodbunder Road to meet Tawade on the night of March 4. ATS has questioned multiple people to identify this person but to no avail. Twenty teams are on the job, using technical and human intelligence, to get clues.

Mansukh Hiran

Vimla, in her statement, had said that Hiran went to meet an officer from Kandivli Crime Branch, whose name was Tawade. He had informed her of this while leaving on March 4 and on March 5, his body was found under mysterious circumstances. Since Vimla mentioned Kandivli Crime Branch, the ATS has taken the details of every staff working at Unit XI located in Kandivli police station's premises. The unit's in-charge Sunil Mane was contacted for the details of the staffers.

Tawade has become a mystery for the ATS. According to sources, there is no officer or staff, with the surname or intial name Tawade, working at Unit XI. Multiple ATS teams have so far questioned and examined more than 100 people in connection with the case, but have had no further leads except for suspended police officer Sachin Waze who has been named as an accused in Hiran's murder case. He has been accused under Sections 120(b) (Criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code. "We have activated all resources across Maharashtra and are taking the help of local police stations to examine every person, even for the most minor links," an ATS officer said.

ATS officers at the spot at Retibunder, Mumbra where Mansukh Hiran's body was found. File pic

The agency has also raided multiple locations across the state based on the facts that have surfaced during the probe. It is also sharing details with its counterparts in states including Gujarat, Haryana, Hyderabad, Rajasthan and New Delhi. A senior IPS officer is also monitoring the developing details in terms of technical and human intelligence.

The Maharashtra ATS has also sought a detailed report from the Kalina Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) on the handkerchief that was stuffed in Hiran's mouth when his body was found. The ATS has asked the FSL to find out if it has any traces of chloroform or any other chemical, that might have been used to sedate him.

Meanwhile, the NIA, investigating the Ambani bomb scare case visited the Commissioner of Police's office and met senior officers to seek further details in the investigation carried out by them. However, some NIA officers said that it was just a courtesy meeting following the appointment of the new police chief Hemant Nagrale.

Six members of the Central Forensic Science Laboratory, Pune visited Mumbai on Friday to assist NIA in the probe. At night, a team from NIA and the forensic experts were at the spot where the Scorpio was planted on February 25 to recreate the sequence of events.