Video Editor: Sandeep Suman
A vehicle parked close to Mukesh Ambani's residence, Antilia, triggered a bomb scare on the evening of Thursday, 25 February.
As per DCP S Chaitanya, the stationary vehicle attracted notice at around 3 pm on Thursday.
Reacting to the incident, Reliance Industries on Friday said, “We are thankful to Mumbai Police for their quick and immediate action. We are confident that the Mumbai Police will complete their thorough investigation quickly.”
Tweeting about the incident Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, on Thursday evening, informed that the Mumbai Crime Branch police is investigating the matter and the findings will be out soon.
THE SUSPICIOUS GREEN SCORPIO
As per the Mumbai Police official, the suspect who parked the car near Ambani’s house was seen in a CCTV footage but is yet to be identified, as he was clad in a mask and a hoodie.
The suspicious vehicle – a green Scorpio – was found on Carmichael Road on Thursday.
The Mumbai Police official, on condition of anonymity, shared that the vehicle was parked with a fake number plate. The car was, as per the official, stolen from Mumbai’s Vikroli area.
Sharing that its chassis number had been damaged, the official informed that the police still managed to uncover its identity and the real owner has since been identified.
The police is carrying out a technical and forensic analysis of the car. They have also gathered CCTV footages from multiple locations from where the car passed on Mumbai roads.
As per the police official, there was another car – a white Innova – tailing the green Scorpio and the police is investigating that vehicle too.
HOW DID THE CAR GET THERE?
Police have been advancing the investigation with the help of CCTV footage. According to The Quint’s sources, CCTV surveillance has revealed that the car in question came from Thane towards Mumbai.
The car had stopped at Haji Ali Junction for 10 minutes at 12:20 am on Wednesday night. Then, around 1 am late that night, the car reached Carmichael Road, but the driver did not get off the car for the next two hours.
After this, at around 3 am in the morning, the driver got down and went towards Pedder Road.
After 12 hours, around 3 pm on Thursday, the local police got information about this suspicious vehicle.
WHAT WAS IN THE VEHICLE?
Mumbai Police PRO has reportedly informed ANI that some amount of gelatin and a letter have been retrieved from the vehicle. According to sources, this letter is in broken English, threatening that this is just a 'trailer'.
Meanwhile, a Mumbai Police official also informed, among other things, that the gelatin found in the car was not of military grade but commercial grade, which is generally used in construction-related activity.
Police suspected that the gelatin sticks may have come from Nagpur, as they carry a sticker from a Nagpur company. Police are also checking whether this is an attempt to mislead the police.
The Mumbai Police PRO had also previously informed ANI that the gelatin was not an assembled explosive device.
MORE DETAILS
An offence has also reportedly been registered in this regard at Gamdevi Police Station under Sections 286, 465, 473, 506(2),120(B) of IPC and Section 4 of Explosive Substances Act 1908.
The bomb disposal squad of the Mumbai police found an abandoned Scorpio that triggered a bomb scare near Mukesh Ambani’s residence Antilia on Thursday.
Photo Courtesy: Accessed by The Quint
As per The Indian Express, along with the Mumbai Police Crime Branch, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad is also looking into the matter.
"We are investigating the matter. The suspect car is being examined. Let's wait for the investigation," Shambhuraj Desai, MOS Home, said to The Deccan Herald.
The police were alerted after Ambani’s security personnel notified them on it. Over a hundred police personnel reached the spot with the bomb detection and disposal squad, dog squad, and quick response team (QRT) commandos.
As per The Indian Express, Mukesh Ambani already has ‘Z-plus’ security cover, which is the highest protection the government provides. In light of this recent event, the security outside his home, Antilla, has also been increased.
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