Witness in Anil Deshmukh graft case, Sachin Waze seeks to turn approver

MUMBAI: Dismissed cop Sachin Waze on Wednesday moved the special CBI court seeking permission to turn approver and receive pardon in the corruption case involving former NCP minister Anil Deshmukh. The CBI, in its reply, has given its nod while citing certain conditions. Waze, who has been lodged in jail since last year, was present in court on Wednesday. The court will hear the matter next on Monday.
This is the second case where Waze has wanted to turn approver. He had made a similar plea to Enforcement Directorate (ED) in its mon-ey-laundering case against Deshmukh, others and him. That plea made after ED’s ch-argesheet was submitted in the case, is kept in abeyance.
Waze’s application in the CBI court was submitted through his lawyer Raunak Naik. The dismissed assista-nt police inspector’s confession statement was recorded by a magistrate’s court on March 19. When a court allo-ws an accused to turn approver and receive pardon, he has to depose as a prosecution witness. His deposition can be used against the remaining accused during trial.
In the application, Waze cited his cooperation extended to CBI at various stages and the voluntary confession he made before the magistrate. It was also submitted that his statement had aided CBI in getting to the true facts of the case.
During the remand hearing of Waze, Deshmukh and others last month, CBI had said that Waze, in his confession statement, had corroborated the version of witnesses regarding collection of money. “Huge amount of bribe was being collected from orchestra bars and restaurants and demand was made by the former home minister through his staffers for monthly collection,” the prosecution submitted. It said that a target of over Rs 1 crore per month was set. It alleged that disturbing facts had emerged that could not be discussed in the open court.
Waze has been in jail since March 13, 2021 after he was first arrested by the NIA in the Antilia bomb scare case and the murder of businessman Mansukh Hiran. Deshmukh, Waze, Deshmukh’s personal secretary Sanjeev Palande and personal assistant Kundan Shinde were arrested in the CBI’s case last month from jail. Deshmukh, Palande and Shinde were arrested last year by ED for alleged money laundering.