News Analysis India

Tag: Mukesh Ambani

  • Threats to Mukesh Ambani’s family: one held from Bihar

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Mumbai Police has apprehended a man from Bihar in connection with anonymous calls threatening to target industrialist Mukesh Ambani and his family, an official said on Thursday.

    A police team picked up a suspect from Darbhanga district around midnight and was bringing him back here, he said.

    Sir H N Reliance Foundation Hospital here had received two calls on Wednesday where the unidentified caller threatened to blow up the hospital along with Ambani’s residence ‘Antilia’ in south Mumbai.

    The caller also issued threats to the industrialist and his family members, officials had said.

    MUMBAI: Mumbai Police has apprehended a man from Bihar in connection with anonymous calls threatening to target industrialist Mukesh Ambani and his family, an official said on Thursday.

    A police team picked up a suspect from Darbhanga district around midnight and was bringing him back here, he said.

    Sir H N Reliance Foundation Hospital here had received two calls on Wednesday where the unidentified caller threatened to blow up the hospital along with Ambani’s residence ‘Antilia’ in south Mumbai.

    The caller also issued threats to the industrialist and his family members, officials had said.

  • Contours of Reliance succession emerge

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  Mukesh Ambani, the chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), on Monday outlined the succession plan at India’s most valued company. Speaking to shareholders at RIL’s 45th annual general meeting on Monday, Ambani said his elder children Akash and Isha (twins) have assumed leadership roles in Reliance Jio and Reliance Retail, respectively, while his youngest son Anant is set to take over the new energy business. 

    The billionaire, however, did not divulge who would get the bread-and-butter oil-to-chemical (O2C) business. Isha, who is married to Anand Piramal of the Piramal Group, has majored in psychology and South Asian studies from Yale University. Akash and Anant have graduated from Brown University in the US.

    Akash and Isha have significant experience in their domain as they had joined the boards of Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd and Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd as directors way back in October 2014. As for Anant, he will be leading RIL’s ambitious foray into green energy with a planned capital expenditure of $10 billion. He will face stiff competition from rival billionaire Gautam Adani-led Adani Group.

    This, however, doesn’t mean Mukesh will retire soon as he will “continue to provide hands-on leadership”. The transition is happening two decades after the bitter battle between Mukesh and his younger brother Anil after their father Dhirubhai died without leaving a will. Mukesh is trying to avoid such a conflict by putting in place a smooth succession plan. 

    NEW DELHI:  Mukesh Ambani, the chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), on Monday outlined the succession plan at India’s most valued company. Speaking to shareholders at RIL’s 45th annual general meeting on Monday, Ambani said his elder children Akash and Isha (twins) have assumed leadership roles in Reliance Jio and Reliance Retail, respectively, while his youngest son Anant is set to take over the new energy business. 

    The billionaire, however, did not divulge who would get the bread-and-butter oil-to-chemical (O2C) business. Isha, who is married to Anand Piramal of the Piramal Group, has majored in psychology and South Asian studies from Yale University. Akash and Anant have graduated from Brown University in the US.

    Akash and Isha have significant experience in their domain as they had joined the boards of Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd and Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd as directors way back in October 2014. As for Anant, he will be leading RIL’s ambitious foray into green energy with a planned capital expenditure of $10 billion. He will face stiff competition from rival billionaire Gautam Adani-led Adani Group.

    This, however, doesn’t mean Mukesh will retire soon as he will “continue to provide hands-on leadership”. The transition is happening two decades after the bitter battle between Mukesh and his younger brother Anil after their father Dhirubhai died without leaving a will. Mukesh is trying to avoid such a conflict by putting in place a smooth succession plan. 

  • SC allows Centre to continue with security of Industrialist Mukesh Ambani, family in Mumbai

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday allowed the Centre to continue with the security cover for industrialist Mukesh Ambani and his family members in Mumbai.

    A bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli allowed the appeal of the Central government to challenge the Tripura High Court’s direction on a PIL.

    A vacation bench, on June 29, had stayed the orders of the Tripura High Court on a PIL challenging the grant of security cover to the industrialist and his family members in Mumbai.

    Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, had said that the PIL petitioner (Bikash Saha ) in Tripura has nothing to do with the security of individuals provided in Mumbai.

    The Tripura High Court had on a PIL filed by one Bikash Saha passed two interim orders on May 31 and June 21 and directed the Central Government to place the original file maintained by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) regarding threat perception and assessment report of Ambani, his wife and children based on which security has been granted to them.

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday allowed the Centre to continue with the security cover for industrialist Mukesh Ambani and his family members in Mumbai.

    A bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli allowed the appeal of the Central government to challenge the Tripura High Court’s direction on a PIL.

    A vacation bench, on June 29, had stayed the orders of the Tripura High Court on a PIL challenging the grant of security cover to the industrialist and his family members in Mumbai.

    Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, had said that the PIL petitioner (Bikash Saha ) in Tripura has nothing to do with the security of individuals provided in Mumbai.

    The Tripura High Court had on a PIL filed by one Bikash Saha passed two interim orders on May 31 and June 21 and directed the Central Government to place the original file maintained by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) regarding threat perception and assessment report of Ambani, his wife and children based on which security has been granted to them.

  • Security upped at Antilia after two people enquire about Mukesh Ambani

    By Express News Service

    MUMBAI:  The security cover of Antilia on Monday was bolstered further after a taxi driver alerted the police about two people inquiring about the residence of India’s richest tycoon Mukesh Ambani.

    Ambani and his family have been living at Antilia in south Mumbai’s posh Cumballa Hill area since 2012.

    “We received a call from the taxi driver that two people driving a car and carrying a bag asked for Mukesh Ambani’s residence Antilia. We are recording his statement,” the Mumbai Police said.

    “A DCP-level rank officer is monitoring the situation. Security was heightened outside Antilia and CCTV footage is also being checked.”

    The men stopped their four-wheeler, a hatchback, near Killa court in CST and sought directions of the landmark, the driver told the police.

    The driver was clueless about the direction in which the car went ahead after its occupants spoke to him, according to the police.

    As a pre-emptive measure, more barricades were being put by the police outside the 27-storey building located on Altamount Road.

    The police were yet to register a case till the report was filed in late evening.

    In February, Antilia was in the news after police found an explosives-laden sport utility vehicle was found parked outside the high-rise. Gelatin sticks and a threatening note were seized from the vehicle.  

    The security scare also comes days after Reliance Industries Ltd clarified Ambani has no plans to relocate or reside in London or anywhere else in the world. 

    The Indian multinational conglomerate had also sought to end speculation over India’s richest family dividing time between the UK and Mumbai, after a report that the Ambanis were looking to make the 300-acre country club in Buckinghamshire, Stoke Park their primary residence.

  • Mansukh Hiran case: Court rejects Sachin Waze’s plea for house custody

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: A court here on Wednesday rejected former police officer Sachin Waze’s request that he be put under house custody instead of being sent back to jail following a heart surgery.

    Waze, the prime accused in the case of an SUV with explosives found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence `Antilia’ and the subsequent murder of businessman Mansukh Hiran, recently underwent open heart surgery at a city hospital.

    Last week his lawyer had applied to the special NIA court that Waze be allowed to recover at home.

    But the National Investigation Agency (NIA) opposed the plea, saying he might abscond if put under house custody.

    Judge A T Wankhede rejected Waze’s plea on Wednesday.

    He will now be shifted to the Taloja jail hospital, prosecution sources said.

    The court has allowed him home food and also directed that he should be taken to the government-run J J hospital for a check-up when needed.

    Waze and nine other accused in the case are currently in judicial custody.

  • ‘Antilia’ bomb scare: Sachin Waze told his driver it was ‘secret operation’, says NIA

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: It was a “secret operation”, former police officer Sachin Waze told his official driver, who was with him on the day when an explosives-laden SUV was placed near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence ‘Antilia’ here in February this year, the NIA has said in its charge sheet.

    The driver’s statement is part of the charge sheet filed by the National Investigating Agency (NIA) last week before a special court here against Waze and nine others in connection with the recovery of the vehicle with gelatin sticks near Ambani’s south Mumbai residence on February 25 and the subsequent murder of Thane-based businessman Mansukh Hiran.

    The driver narrated the entire sequence of events leading to the planting of the vehicle near Ambani’s house on the intervening night of February 24 and 25.

    ​ALSO READ | Antilia bomb scare: Sachin Waze wanted to regain glory as ‘supercop’, says chargesheet

    He told the probe agency that at around 05.30 pm on February 24, he had driven Waze to ‘Dnyaneshwari’ bungalow, the official residence of the then Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh.

    Waze went inside the residence alone and returned in about an hour, the driver said.

    The driver further stated that Waze asked him to change the number plates of Mahindra Scorpio, the explosives-laden vehicle which was placed outside Ambani’s resdince, and an Innova car, multiple times.

    He also told the NIA that Waze had asked him to take specific routes and pay toll plazas.

    “At about 2.10 am I was following the Scorpio car driven by Waze at a very slow speed on Carmichael Road. At a particular point, he stopped the Scorpio and parked it on the left side of the road,” the driver stated.

    “Accordingly, I also stopped my Innova car at a distance of about 40 to 50 meters behind the Scorpio,” he added.

    The driver further stated that he returned to the Innova car after about five minutes and removed his face mask and shield.

    ​ALSO READ | Can Mumbai cops behind reinstating Waze claim impunity? HC to CBI on Anil Deshmukh’s plea

    Waze then asked him to drive ahead, and after a while the former API (assistant police inspector) realised that his identity card was missing and asked the driver to check in the car (Innova), but it wasn’t found.

    As per his statement, they then came to Waze’s residence in neighbouring Thane district, where Waze went inside to search for his identity card.

    However, he returned after about 20 minutes, and told the driver that he had probably forgotten the card in the Scorpio.

    At around 4.30 am they returned to the Carmichael Road, where Waze went inside the Scorpio and returned after a while.

    Waze then directed the driver to take him to Thane.

    The driver also stated that Waze had taken his phone and switched it off when he reported to duty (on February 24).

    It was returned only after he drove Waze home, the driver told the NIA.

    In his statement, the driver further said when he enquired about the entire episode, Waze told him it was a “secret operation”, and asked him not to reveal it to anyone.

    “On February 26, I was attending the marriage ceremony of a colleague when I came to know about the incident from TV news channels. I was very scared on seeing the said news, but I did not tell this story to anyone,” he added.

    The NIA in its charge sheet also said Waze placed the SUV near Ambani’s house here to regain his reputation as a “super cop”.

    Thane businessman Mansukh Hiran was subsequently killed as Waze thought him to be the “weak link” in the conspiracy, the NIA said, alleging that Pradeep Sharma, a former police officer, was roped in to execute the murder.

    Hiran, who had claimed that the SUV had been stolen from his possession, was found dead in a creek in Thane on March 5.

    Besides Waze and Pradeep Sharma, the others accused in the case are Vinayak Shinde, Naresh Gor Riyazuddin Kazi, Sunil Mane, Anand Jadhav, Satish Mothkuri, Manish Soni and Santosh Shelar.

    Shinde, Kazi and Mane are former police officers The accused have been charged under various Indian Penal Code sections, including for murder, criminal conspiracy, kidnapping and negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance, as well as relevant provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Explosive Substances Act and the Arms Act.

  • Nita Ambani cancelled Gujarat trip after ‘Antilia’ security threat: Staff tells NIA

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: A scheduled visit of industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s wife Nita Ambani to Gujarat was cancelled after the recovery of an explosives-laden SUV outside their house ‘Antilia’ in south Mumbai in February this year, the security head of the residence has said in his statement to the NIA.

    The statement is part of a charge sheet filed last week by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) before a special court here against dismissed police officer Sachin Waze and nine others in connection with the recovery of the vehicle with gelatin sticks near Ambani’s residence on February 25 and the subsequent murder of businessman Mansukh Hiran.

    The residence’s security head said in his statement that after the vehicle with explosives and a threat letter were found, he immediately brought it to the notice of Mukesh Ambani.

    He also told the NIA that a scheduled visit of Nita Ambani on that day to Jamnagar in Gujarat was rescheduled and then cancelled on his and the zonal DCP’s advice.

    The security head further stated they had been receiving threats from various quarters, but all were related to farmers’ protest that began in October 2020.

    The Ambani family does not suspect any particular person for the threat letter and gelatin sticks found in the abandoned Scorpio parked illegally on the Carmichael Road here on February 25, he said in the statement.

    Former police officer Waze is the prime accsued in the case.

    As per probe agency, he also played a “pivotal role” in the murder of Thane-based businessman Mansukh Hiran.

    Hiran, who had claimed that the SUV had been stolen from his possession, was found dead in a creek in neighbouring Thane district on March 5.

    Besides Waze and fomer police officer Pradeep Sharma, the others accused in the case are Vinayak Shinde, Naresh Gor Riyazuddin Kazi, Sunil Mane, Anand Jadhav, Satish Mothkuri, Manish Soni and Santosh Shelar.

    Shinde, Kazi and Mane are former police officers.

    The accused have been charged under various Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections, including for murder, criminal conspiracy, kidnapping and negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance, as well as relevant provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Explosive Substances Act and the Arms Act.

    The NIA in its charge sheet said Waze placed the SUV with explosives near Ambani’s house here to regain his reputation as a “super cop”.

    Businessman Mansukh Hiran was subsequently killed as Waze thought him to be the “weak link” in the conspiracy, the NIA said, alleging that Pradeep Sharma was roped in to execute the murder.

  • Expert panel recommends Phase 1 clinical trials of Reliance’s Covid vaccine candidate

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: The Subject Expert Committee (SEC) has recommended Phase 1 clinical trials of Reliance’s recombinant COVID-19 vaccine candidate.

    Earlier, Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Life Sciences had sought approval for the Phase I trial of its proposed two-dose COVID-19 vaccine.

    The company has received approval during the meeting of the SEC on Friday.

    After recommendations from SEC, the company is required to get approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), following which the Reliance Life Sciences can commence Phase 1 trials of the COVID-19 vaccine.

    The trials will be done at 10 sites in India that includes centres in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Delhi.

    Phase 1 of the trial usually lasts for 58 days to detect the highest dose that most patients can tolerate.

    In India, six vaccines have so far received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), which includes Serum Institute of India’s Covishield, Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, Zydus Cadila’s vaccine, Russia’s Sputnik V, Moderna and Johnson and Johnson.  

  • Court denies bail to Sachin Waze, gives NIA another month to file charge sheet

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: A special court here on Thursday rejected dismissed police officer Sachin Waze’s plea for ‘default’ bail in the case of the SUV with explosives found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence, and gave the NIA one more month to file a charge sheet.

    On June 9, the court had granted an extension of two months to the National Investigation Agency to submit its charge sheet.

    The central agency later sought another extension, saying the investigation was still underway.

    Court denies bail to Sachin Waze, gives NIA another month to file charge sheetWaze had sought bail on the ground that the probe agency failed to file the charge sheet within the stipulated time so he was entitled to be released.

    ALSO READ | CBI can inquire into transfer postings of police, reinstatement of Sachin Waze: Bombay HC 

    He was arrested in the case on March 13, 2021, following the death of Thane businessman Mansukh Hiran who had claimed that the SUV found near Ambani’s south Mumbai residence on February 25 had been stolen from his possession.

    But the special NIA court rejected Waze’s plea saying it had no merit.

    The court had rejected his similar ‘default’ bail application in June too.

    Besides Waze, former ‘encounter specialist’ police officer Pradeep Sharma and a few other former policemen are accused in the case.

  • ‘Antilia’ bomb scare: Accused Manish Soni seeks bail, claims judicial custody ‘illegal’

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Manish Soni, arrested in connection with the recovery of an explosives-laden SUV near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence and the subsequent murder of businessman Mansukh Hiran, has moved a bail plea before a special NIA court here while saying his judicial custody is “illegal”, his lawyer said on Wednesday.

    Soni was arrested on June 17 along with Satish Mothkuri and former “encounter specialist” Pradeep Sharma in connection with the case.

    The National Investigation Agency (NIA) told the special court on Monday that Soni was “inadvertently” remanded in judicial custody by a magistrate court, where he had gone for recording a confessional statement.

    Soni’s lawyer Rahul Arote said the remand was “illegal” as the accused was sent in jail custody without being produced before the special court. “The application has been filed on the ground that he is illegally remanded by (magistrate) court. Therefore, prayed for bail,” Arote said.

    The NIA had earlier told the court that Soni and Mothkuri allegedly killed Hiran and dumped the body with the help of other accused. The murder was part of a larger conspiracy and committed at the behest of former policemen Sachin Waze and Pradeep Sharma, it had said.

    Besides Waze and Sharma, policemen Riyazuddin Kazi and Sunil Mane had also been arrested in connection with the bomb scare case and later dismissed from police service. The NIA had also arrested former police constable Vinayak Shinde and cricket bookie Naresh Gor in the case.

    All of them are currently in judicial custody. The explosives-laden SUV was found abandoned near Ambani’s residence ‘Antilia’ in south Mumbai on February 25 this year. Businessman Mansukh Hiran, who had claimed that he was in possession of the vehicle, was found dead at a Mumbra creek in Thane district on March 5.