Bharat Borge, the mechanic whose timely discovery that there were pebbles and mud in the gear box of Anil Ambani's helicopter, was found dead beside railway tracks in suburban Andheri in Mumbai under mysterious circumstances on Tuesday.
Thanks to Borge's alertness, a disaster was averted last Friday, when Ambani along with nine Reliance Info executives were scheduled to fly to Navi Mumbai in his 13-seater Bell 412 helicopter.
Borge's mysterious death has now created a flutter, lending credence to Anil Ambani's charge that certain 'rival business groups were trying to eliminate him'.
Airworks Private Limited, the maintenance company for the Bell 412, had filed complaints against employees who were on duty at that time.
While Mumbai police maintained that it was an 'act of mischief' - a fallout of the resentment that was brewing between Airworks management and employees as the reason for the 'sabotage', Ambani's office had pointed out that of the eight helicopters that were parked only Ambani's was tampered with.
The group also wrote a strongly-worded letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan.
Senior police inspector, Airport Police, Somnath Ghuge said four people, who were on shift at that time have been detained and were charged under under Section 440 of the IPC - mischief committed to cause death or hurt.
Following the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai, during which both the Taj and Oberoi hotels were targeted, the state government took a decision, in principle, to extend security cover of Central Industrial Security Force to private establishments as well.
The force currently serves public sector undertakings and select government offices.
