Mumbai: The Congress and NCP (SP) on Saturday refuted allegations of dismissed policeman Sachin Waze against former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh and questioned how he was allowed to speak to media while being escorted by police.
Waze is an accused in ‘Antilia’ bomb scare and Thane businessman Mansukh Hiran‘s murder case. He is currently lodged in Taloja central jail in Navi Mumbai. As per media reports, Waze has reiterated his allegation of bribery against Deshmukh. Waze had earlier told an inquiry commission that he had paid money to Deshmukh’s associates on the latter’s instructions. Deshmukh had stepped down as the state home minister in 2021. NCP (SP) spokesperson Mahesh Tapase claimed Waze had earlier told the Chandiwal Commission that Deshmukh or his personal assistants never demanded any money nor had they instructed him to collect money from Mumbai’s restaurants and bars.
The commission, under retired Justice KU Chandiwal, was set up in 2021, when the Maha Vikas Aghadi was in power under Uddhav Thackeray, to look into allegations against Deshmukh. It had submitted a 201-page report to the government in April 2022. Tapase also said Waze was a “disgraced” person, adding that his statement is “clearly politically motivated” and was intended to serve certain political interests.
Tapase claimed then police commissioner Param Bir Singh, who also levelled allegations against Deshmukh, was reluctant to depose before the Chandiwal Commission. “He (Singh) later submitted a letter to the commission claiming his allegation was based on an information which he had heard and he didn’t have any concrete proof to substantiate the same,” Tapase pointed out.
Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe asked how a jailed person was allowed to speak to the media while being escorted by police personnel, adding that officials responsible for facilitating this interaction must be immediately suspended. “It is clear who is making him (Waze) say all this. An investigation should be conducted into how Sachin Waze was allowed to speak to the media, as prisoners in custody are not permitted to communicate with the media. The police officers in whose custody Sachin Waze was should be immediately suspended,” Londhe demanded. Waze was a “front” to hide the conspiracy to level false charges against Deshmukh, Londhe added.
