On Friday, Shiv Sena criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party for transferring the investigation of explosive-laden car found outside Mukesh Ambani’s residence to the National Investigation Agency.
In an editorial, Saamana, Shiv Sena said that a vehicle containing 20 gelatin sticks was found on Mumbai’s Carmichael Road, which has triggered blasts in the state politics and administration in the last few days. Param Bir Singh was removed as Mumbai police commissioner and senior officer Hemant Nagrale was appointed at his place. These are not routine transfers.
The explosive-laden car found near Ambani’s house and the suspicious death of Mansukh Hiran, who was in possession of the vehicle, are worrisome. The opposition BJP has raised some questions over it, but while the state Anti-Terrorism Squad was probing the Hiran death case, the NIA took over the investigation, it said.
Shiv Sena said that we hope the motive of shifting the investigation to NIA is not to malign the state, it added.
The editorial also spoke in favor of former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh, who was transferred on Wednesday to the Home Guard. The government has to rearrange the police under certain specific circumstances, it read.
Uddhav Thackeray’s party said that “NIA generally probes terrorism related cases. But there is no terror angle involved in this case and still NIA is involved in it. However, the outcome of the agency’s probe into the terror attacks of Uri, Pathankot and Pulwama is still a mystery. The 20 gelatin sticks found in Mumbai appears to be a big challenge for the NIA”, it said.
Sena said, “at least considering the prevailing situation, no one should commit such sins. If the opposition feels it can gain power through such means, it is wrong”, it added.
Sena also pointed out its ally-turned-rival that one of its MPs, Ram Swaroop Sharma, had died under suspicious circumstances in his Delhi residence.
Sharma was a strong Hindutva proponent. BJP members are not sad about his mysterious death, it added.