Sachin Waze has claimed that though he was under suspension then, he was instrumental in the seizure of banned N-95 masks in Bandra by the Mumbai Police. (File) Dismissed Mumbai Police officer Sachin Waze has told the Enforcement Directorate (ED) that he had sent a request application addressed to the city police commissioner to reinstate him in April 2020 on instructions of former home minister Anil Deshmukh.
Waze has claimed that though he was under suspension then, he was instrumental in the seizure of banned N-95 masks in Bandra by the Mumbai Police.
“Shri Anil Deshmukh, then home minister had addressed nationwide press conference and apparently he was very happy with my performance even though I was under suspension at that point of time. Hence, Shri Anil Deshmukh told me that my suspension will be revoked and thus, I should give a request application to the Commissioner of Police, Mumbai, for reinstatement, which I complied with and is a matter of record,” Waze’s statement recorded on December 11, 2021, said.
The statement is part of the supplementary chargesheet filed by the ED against Deshmukh and others last month. It stated that he had sent the request application to the commissioner on April 7, 2020.
Waze was under suspension since 2004, as he is charged with the custodial death of Khwaja Yunus. His nearly 16-year-old suspension was revoked on June 5, 2020, in a decision taken by a review committee headed by then Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh.
The police had informed the court that Waze and three others, facing trial for Yunus’ death, were in “continuous suspension” and a decision was taken to revoke their suspension for reasons, including the delayed trial and the Covid-19 pandemic requiring more policemen on duty.
Waze’s statement also said that after he was reinstated, he had learnt on June 12, 2020 that “senior political leaders” were not happy and had asked Singh on what grounds Waze was reinstated, ordering that he be suspended again. Waze claimed that he had received a call from Deshmukh the next day, demanding a bribe of Rs 2 crore to keep him in the force.
Singh, in his statement – also part of the chargesheet – has claimed that there was pressure from Deshmukh for Waze’s reinstatement. He has alleged that he got “direct instructions” from Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and his son, Minister Aaditya Thackeray.
After Singh was removed as the city police chief, he had written a letter to the CM, making allegations of corruption against Deshmukh.
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