Maha Congress slams NIA for delays in SUV planting case

The Maharashtra Congress on Saturday slammed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for delays in the probe into the planting of a SUV with 20 gelatin sticks near Antilia, the home of industrialist Mukesh Ambani.

"Over 150 days have elapsed and the NIA is granted 30 more days to file its charge-sheet in the case, when the time limit is only 90 days. Why does the NIA need so many extensions," demanded State Party Spokesperson Sachin Sawant.

Referring to the longwinded probe, he sought to know when the NIA is going to nab the alleged mastermind in the sensational case that broke out on February 25.

"When will the NIA reveal the real motive behind keeping the explosive-laden vehicle (SUV Scorpio) near the Antillia building," Sawant demanded.

The SUV was found abandoned by Mumbai Police near the Antilia building on February 25 and 20 gelatin sticks and a purported threat note to the Ambani family was recovered from it.

The case took a new twist when the vehicle owner, a businessman Mansukh Hiran's body was found in the marshes of Thane Creek on March 5, triggering a massive upheaval in the police force and the political setup.

This week, the Special NIA Court granted the agency another 30 days' time to file its charge-sheet in the case.

Sawant's attack on NIA came barely a couple of days after he targeted the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for dithering on the probe into the death case of Bollywood actor, the late Sushant Singh Rajput, a year after the federal agency took over the case.