Mumbai, Mar 22 (IANS): The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which registered a case to probe the death of Mumbai-based businessman Mansukh Hiren, visited his residence to record the statement of his widow and others.

A senior NIA official related to the case probe told IANS, "A team of the agency has gone to the residence of Hiren to record the statement of his wife."

The official said that the NIA will also record the statement of Hiren's relatives and also try to collect more evidence in the case.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs had issued a notification to the NIA to probe the death of Hiren, whose body was found in the Thane Creek area on March 5.

Earlier, the Maharashtra ATS was handling the Hiren death probe.

In a related development, a team of ATS officials also met the Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and briefed him on the current status of the case investigations.

On Sunday, claiming a major breakthrough, the ATS arrested a dismissed and convicted policeman Vinayak B. Shinde, 51, and a cricket bookie Naresh R. Gor, 31, in connection with the death of Hiren.

Hiren's SUV with 20 gelatin sticks was planted and abandoned near the home of industrialist Mukesh Ambani on February 25.

An official said the ATS team has taken the arrested duo to the Thane Creek area where Hiren' body was found to analyse the crime scene.

According to ATS officials, Gor had allegedly procured 5 mobile SIM cards for the use of Shinde and the other prime accused, arrested-suspended Assistant Police Inspector (API) Sachin Vaze.

Vaze was arrested on March 13 and is currently in the custody of NIA, for the twin crimes.

Shinde was dismissed from service after being convicted in the November 2006 Versova fake encounter case of Ramnarayan Gupta alias Lakhan Bhaiya, said to be a close aide of the jailed mafia don, Rajendra S.Nikhalje alias Chhota Rajan.

Sentenced to life imprisonment, he was out on parole since May 2020 when he came in contact with Vaze and reportedly helped out in his illegal activities.

Officials said that more than half a dozen people are currently under scanner of the ATS for their role in the mysterious death of Hiren.