Hiran murder case: ATS seizes high-end car from Daman
Mumbai: The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has seized a high-end car from Daman in connection with the Mansukh Hiran murder case, an official said on Tuesday.
The Volvo car with the Maharashtra registration number was seized on Monday, the official said, adding there is no clarity so far on who owned this car.
The seized car is kept at the ATS office in Thane neighbouring Mumbai, he said.
The official said that a team of Forensic officials from Mumbai is examining the car at the ATS office.
After arresting two persons on Saturday night in connection with the murder case, the ATS detained a person from Gujarat who had allegedly provided them SIM cards, officials had said, adding they recovered many SIM cards from the person.
The ATS last week arrested suspended policeman Vinayak Shinde and cricket bookie Naresh Gaur in the case.
The SUV with explosives found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's house in Mumbai on February 25 had been allegedly stolen from possession of Hiran, the Thane-based businessman whose body was found in a creek in Mumbra on March 5.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is probing the case of recovery of the explosives-laden SUV and arrested Mumbai Police officer Sachin Waze, had seized five high-end cars during its probe, including two Mercedes, 1 Prado, the Scorpio which was used to carry explosives, and an Innova car.
The ATS had said that Waze was also a prime accused in the Hiran murder case.
The NIA suspects that at least three of the seized five cars were used by Waze, who was posted as Assistant Police Inspector (API) with the Crime Intelligence Unit (API) when arrested on March 13. He was later suspended from service.
On Monday morning, the ATS team took accused Shinde to the residence of Waze in Thane and later to the creek in Mumbra were Hiran's body was found.
Though the Hiran murder case was transferred to the NIA on March 20, the ATS is still conducting investigation.
On Sunday, ATS DIG Shivdeep Lande had posted a message on Facebook stating that the Hiran murder case had been cracked.
The accused Shinde was convicted in the 2006 Lakhan Bhaiya fake encounter case and came out of jail on furlough last year. He was allegedly in touch with Waze, who himself was once known as "encounter specialist" officer, since then.
Apparently it was Shinde who had called Hiran from suburban Kandivali by identifying himself as "Tawde saheb" on March 4, according to the ATS.
The ATS had registered a murder case under section 302 (punishment for murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence or giving false information to screen offender) 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against unknown persons, days after Hiran's body was found.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
