Antilia scare: Gangster lodged in Tihar jail under scanner for Telegram message

Mumbai: The role of a gangster lodged in Delhi’s Tihar jail is being probed in connection with the message on Telegram channel, through which an outfit named Jaish-ul-Hind had claimed responsibility for placing an explosives-laden SUV near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s house here, a police official said.

The convict, who has links with Mumbai’s underworld, has been undergoing treatment in a Delhi hospital since the last few days, he said.

A Mahindra Scorpio car with gelatin sticks was found parked near ”Antilia”, the multi-storey residence of Ambani, in south Mumbai on February 25.

Police had said that the Telegram channel was created on February 26 and the message claiming responsibility for placing the vehicle outside Ambani’s residence was posted on the Telegram messaging app late in the night on February 27.

However, on February 28, another message from Jaish- ul-Hind surfaced on a social media platform, claiming that the organisation did not have any role in the incident.

“During the probe, which was carried out with the help of a private cyber agency, it was found that the Telegram channel was created inside the Tihar prison,” a police official, who was earlier part of the investigation, said.

Currently, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is carrying out the probe into the case related to the recovery of the explosives-laden vehicle.

Indian Mujahideen terrorist Tehseen Akhtar was questioned inside the Tihar jail by a team of the Delhi Police’s special cell in this connection, he said.

“During the investigation, it came to light that a gangster lodged in Tihar jail, who is known for his links with Mumbai’s underworld, was in touch with some persons in the Maharashtra capital,” the official added.

“That convict, who was admitted to a Delhi hospital at that time, was contacted by some persons in Mumbai, who in turn got in touch with his men in Tihar prison. The message was then sent to a phone in Tihar prison and was uploaded after the Telegram channel was created,” he said.

This was done to wrongly project that a terror group was involved in the act, police sources said.

The NIA has arrested Mumbai police officer Sachin Waze in connection with the recovery of the explosives-laden vehicle.