The Shiv Sena on Monday, 15 March, attacked the Centre over the arrest of Mumbai top cop Sachin Vaze in the case related to explosives being discovered in a car outside Mukesh Ambani’s house and said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was avenging the arrest of journalist Arnab Goswami that was led by Vaze’s team.
Vaze was arrested and remanded to the custody of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the case related to the explosives found outside Antilia (Ambani’s house) on 25 February and his alleged association with the owner of the car.
In its editorial in the party mouthpiece Saamana, the Sena has alleged that Vaze’s arrest was a part of a conspiracy since he had led the team that arrested Goswami in the case of abetment of suicide of Mumbai-based interior designer Anvay Naik.
‘NIA Sent to Settle Scores Over Arnab’
“The only reason the BJP is so happy about Vaze’s arrest is that a few months ago, he, with the help of Raigad police, had arrested BJP’s starboy Goswami in the case of Naik’s death. Back then, they were sympathising with Goswami and cursing Vaze,” the editorial said.
“Vaze has been on the Centre’s hitlist ever since he arrested and put Goswami behind bars,” it added.
“One thing is clear – the NIA has been sent here to ‘settle scores’ from the past. Vaze and his colleagues had arrested Goswami and unearthed the TRP scam. The Centre has made sure of Vaze’s arrest in return,” the editorial read.
‘Mumbai Police Humiliated, Bid to Destabilise State Govt’
Sena further accused the BJP and the Centre of humiliating the Mumbai Police every chance. “They would send central agencies to interfere in the smallest of matters from Maharashtra in a bid to destabilise and defame the state government,” it said.
“There's no point debating whether Vaze’s arrest was legal or not. Going to any extent to destabilise or defame the Opposition state governments, churning out fake incidents and targeting state government employees has become parts of the new norm now,” the editorial stated, adding that central agencies, like the CBI, were asked to interfere in the Sushant Singh Rajput case and the BJP stood by Kangana Ranaut despite her having flouted laws.
Further defending the Mumbai police, the editorial said: “This is the same Mumbai Police that ensured that the perpetrators of the Mumbai blasts are hanged. Its personnel risked their lives to nab Kasab alive and made sure he was hanged. It is surprising that central agencies are sent to Mumbai to probe the matter of 20 gelatin sticks while the world applauds the valour of the Mumbai police.”
“If vaze was in the wrong in any way and was involved in the placement of the gelatin sticks outside Ambani’s house in any manner, the Mumbai Police and the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) were capable of probing it. But the central agency did not want to let that happen. They have humiliated the Maharashtra Police force by arresting Vaze. Everything was planned,” the editorial said.
Sachin Vaze Arrested
Vaze was arrested on Saturday night after over 12 hours of questioning and was sent to 12-day NIA custody on Sunday by a special court. Vaze was arrested after questioning related to the alleged links with Mansukh Hiren, the owner of the car that was found laden with explosives outside Ambani’s house.
Hiren’s kin alleged that Vaze had been associated with the family for a long time before the car was found outside Ambani’s house. They said that the car had been in Vaze’s possession for several months before it was returned to Hiren and went missing the same day.
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