Mumbai: Vaze reinstated after review panel meet; Covid infections, manpower demand key factors, police tell HC

MUMBAI: The Mumbai police reinstated suspended police officer Sachin Vaze, facing trial in the case of custodial death of 2002 blast accused Khwaja Yunus, because of the “overwhelming scenario" due to the pandemic and needing more policemen on duty.
But the reinstatement was done after following review committee guidelines, it said, in an affidavit on Thursday.
The Maharashtra government had in October 2011 decided that "based on facts and circumstances of the case where even after two years of filing a charge sheet, if case is pending, a review committee may recommend ending the suspension of the delinquents and to post them to non-executive branch," said the affidavit filed by joint police commissioner Nawal Bajaj before the Bombay high court. Through the affidavit, the police sought dismissal of a contempt petition filed by Asiya Begum, 72, mother of Yunus, against Mumbai police commissioner Parambir Singh.
Bajaj said that the allegations in the contempt petition were "totally incorrect" but added that "in any event" he tendered his "unconditional apology".
From 2004 to 2020, Vaze was suspended and “during pendency of the criminal case, it was decided not to initiate departmental enquiry," said the affidavit. But at the quarterly meeting to review suspended policemen, held during the Covid-19 pandemic on June 5, the panel, headed by police commissioner, considered cases of various officers, including API Vaze and three other constables, accused. The CP considered the “large scale infection" of Covid amog policemen as a vital issue.
Begum’s petition says that by ending suspension of encounter specialist Vaze, pending enquiry against them, amounted to contempt of the HC order and she has demanded Rs 1 lakh in compensation.
Referring to the HC order of April 7, 2004, her case was that the HC not only directed suspension of four personnel but had also ordered an enquiry against them.
The police affidavit informed the HC that with regard to disciplinary proceedings involving the alleged death of Yunus, there is a detailed notice of additional commissioner of police (crime) dated February 1, 2006 which said, “now, when proper investigation into the matter concerning escape/ suspected death of the arrested accused is underway, there is no point conducting enquiry ..." and the note was approved by then then police chief.