BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday, 17 March, said that Mumbai top cop Sachin Vaze’s “political bosses” must be found.
Vaze, presently embroiled in the case regarding explosives being recovered outside Mukesh Ambani’s house, was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday, 13 March, and remanded to 12 days of custody.
“Matter can’t be over with Mumbai Police Commissioner’s transfer, Sachin Vaze’s political bosses must be found out,” Fadnavis told reporters in Delhi, according to PTI.
Further, he alleged that in 2018, when he was the chief minister of Maharashtra, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray had asked him to reinstate top cop Sachin Vaze, who was suspended from the police force at the time.
Casting a slew of aspersion at the present Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra, Fadnavis, as per PTI, told reporters in Delhi:
“I was Maharashtra chief minister in 2018 and also helmed the home department. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray had called me to reinstate the then suspended police officer Sachin Waze back into the police force. Some Shiv Sena ministers later met me with the same request.”
Further, Fadnavis said that on receiving the proposal to reinstate Vaze, he had verbally sought the Advocate General's opinion and was told that Vaze was suspended after a Bombay High Court order.
“Therefore, I decided not to reinstate him," Fadnavis said.
WHAT ELSE DID FADNAVIS SAY?
“Question is, why was API Sachin Vaze reappointed,” Fadnavis said, according to ANI
“He was suspended in 2004, took VRS in 2008 and later, his VRS wasn't accepted due to an inquiry against him. In 2018, there was pressure from Shiv Sena to get him back, but I refused,” he added.
Fadnavis also claimed that in 2008, Waze joined Shiv Sena, was their spokesperson and had business relations with them.
“Despite knowing about the 2017 extortion case against him, Shiv Sena-led govt brought him back in 2020, on the pretext of officer shortage due to COVID,” Fadnavis said.
A government doctor held in three cases of extorting money had named Vaze as an accomplice in an extortion case in 2017.
“Crime Intelligence Unit is headed by Police Inspector-level officers but Sachin Waze was made CIU's head in this case,” Fadnavis further added, according to ANI.
BACKGROUND
After taking over the probe, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Vaze on Saturday night for his alleged role in the placement of the Scorpio, which was carrying explosives and a threat note addressed to Mukesh and Nita Ambani, outside Antilia, the couple’s house.
Following the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) search operation at Vaze’s office on Monday, the body investigating the case informed that a laptop was seized from Vaze’s cabin, but all of its data had already been deleted, news agency ANI reported.
Meanwhile, it has emerged that one day after Vaze became the investigating officer in the Ambani bomb-scare probe, his team at the Mumbai Police’s Criminal Intelligence Unit (CIU), on 27 February, visited his housing society and reportedly asked for all the CCTV footage available.
Vaze was also, on Wednesday, taken to Mahim Creek by the NIA in connection with the probe related to Mansukh Hiren’s death.
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