Is it Karma for Anil Deshmukh? In a strange twist of fate for Anil Deshmukh, former Home Minister of Maharashtra, once his right-hand man Sachin Waze will now be a prosecution witness, an approver in the corruption case against him.
Sachin Waze, an assistant police inspector in Maharashtra police, was allegedly given the job of collecting Rs 100 crore from venues across Mumbai – the extortion money on behalf of Anil Deshmukh. Sachin Waze, who had been dismissed from the force earlier, was re-instated by the MVA government when it took power following the failure of the BJP and the Shiv Sena to come to power sharing arrangements post 2019 election.
Sachin Waze was also used by the MVA government to arrest Arnab Goswami when he was falsely implicated in the suicide / death of Anvay Naik, an architect who designed Arnab’s studio in Mumbai.
Critics of the MVA Government say Arnab was arrested because he had been critical of the state government and Mumbai police over their handling of the death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput. On his channel Republic Television, Arnab Goswami was openly critical of accused them of being lenient in their investigation into the star’s death.
Ultimately, the Supreme Court of India granted bail to Arnab Goswami. Criticising the Mumbai High Court, DY Chandrachud had said: “We must send a message today to the high courts as well. Please exercise your jurisdiction to uphold personal liberty.”
It was against such a backdrop that the team of the then Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, led by the then Mumbai Police Commissioner Parambir Singh – was achieving execution of its plans through a co-confidante team led by Sachin Waze.
Bizarrely enough, these allegations have been made by none other than Parambir Singh who has fallen out of favour since and is seeking his own ‘justice’ against the injustices he himself was part of, allegedly at the direction of Anil Deshmukh.
Now dismissed and facing prosecution Sachin Waze made the offer to the CBI to turn an approver – to give evidence against Anil Deshmukh.
He made a formal application to the special CBI court in Mumbai.
Also read: Parambir Singh accuses Anil Deshmukh of running an extortion racket
On Wednesday, 1 June, Special judge D P Shingade allowed Sachin Waze‘s plea to turn an approver in a corruption case involving former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh.
“Your application is awarded to you, but subject to certain conditions,” the judge said.
In the application filed before the special CBI court, Sachin Waze claimed he had cooperated with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) before and after his arrest, following which his confessional statement was recorded before a magistrate under provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
The CBI gave its consent to the allowance of Sachin Waze’s application.
Sachin Waze was arrested in March 2021 for his alleged role in the case of an explosives-laden vehicle found near India’s richest man Mukesh Ambani‘s residence in south Mumbai. The vehicle belong ed to a Thane based businessman Mansukh Hiran who was later found dead.
Sachin Waze was caught on camera in suspicious circumstance near Mukesh Ambani‘s residence in south Mumbai during early stages of investigation into the case of an explosives-laden vehicle found there.
Sachin Waze was arrested and is still in custody.