Mumbai: Special PMLA court rejects Sachin Vaze’s bail plea in money laundering case

MUMBAI: A special PMLA court on Friday rejected the bail plea of dismissed cop Sachin Vaze in the money laundering case registered and investigated by the Enforcement Directorate.
Opposing Vazez’s bail plea in the case allegedly involving former state home minister Anil Deshmukh, the ED had submitted that he is the key link of the whole conspiracy. Submitting that he is likely to abscond, the prosecution submitted, “It is submitted that the applicant is an influential person and if granted bail, he may influence witnesses, owing to his strong financial power and knowledge of the direction of the investigation.”
In its reply the ED had submitted that on the directions of Deshmukh, Vaze held a meeting with various orchestra bar owners and asked them to pay Rs 3 lakh per month for their smooth functioning in late hours without restriction of performance artist.
“In furtherance to this conspiracy to collect money from orchestra bar owners, Sachin Vaze collected approximately Rs 4.70 Crore from various orchestra bar owners between months of December, 2020 to February 2021,” the ED said. The prosecution also cited his alleged involvement in the 2021 Antilia bomb scare case and the subsequent killing of businessmen Mansukh Hiran. “Sachin Vaze while performing his Police duty indulged into illegal activities. He was getting direct instructions from Anil Deshmukh, the then Home minister in different police cases,” the ED said.