Friday, March 29, 2024

Security threat to Ambanis: Ajit Pawar refutes charges made against him by Waze; CBI seeks access to case papers

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By PTI
PUNE: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday said the allegations made by suspended police officer Sachin Waze against him in a letter were completely false and he had neither met the cop nor spoken to him ever.

Pawar called for an inquiry into the allegations to make things crystal clear.

His remarks come a day after Waze claimed in his letter that he was approached by one Darshan Ghodawat, who introduced himself as a “very close circle person” of junior Pawar, and insisted him (Waze) to collect a monthly amount of Rs 100 crore from illegal gutka sellers.

“I laughed when I saw my name in the letter. I never met him (Waze), nor I have spoken to him ever. Everyone knows my strict working style. So conduct an inquiry,” Pawar told reporters.

“Let there be an inquiry and there will be ‘doodh ka dhoodh, pani ka pani’ (things will become crystal clear),” he said, adding that the allegations made in the letter were completely false.

He was speaking on the sidelines of campaigning for the upcoming bypoll for the Pandharpur-Mangalvedha assembly constituency.

Waze, who was reinstated in the police force last year, made the sensational claim in a letter which he tried to submit before a special NIA court in Mumbai on Wednesday.

However, special judge PR Sitre refused to take his letter on record.

Waze, an accused in the case of an explosives-laden car found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence in south Mumbai and the death of businessman Mansukh Hiran, is currently in the National Investigation Agency’s custody.

Pawar added that an attempt to destabilise the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government was on.

“For the last three days, it has been going on that another wicket will fall (another minister will resign). I do not understand how these people can know such things in advance,” he said.

When asked about the blame game that is going on between Centre and the state over the supply of COVID-19 vaccines, Pawar said the state is not getting enough number of vaccines.

“In haste, the Centre sent vaccines to other countries. I can understand that the neighbourly relations need to be maintained with other countries, but at the same time, the Centre should fulfil the states’ requirement,” he said.

Meanwhile, the CBI on Thursday approached a special NIA court here seeking access to papers of the case related to bomb scare at Mukesh Ambani’s house for its preliminary enquiry into allegations of corruption against former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh.

The CBI’s latest plea came a day after special NIA judge PR Sitre allowed the central agency’s application to question Waze.

Waze (49) was arrested on March 13 for his alleged role in the case of an explosives-laden SUV found near industrialist Mukesh Ambanis house, ‘Antilia’, in south Mumbai on February 25 and the subsequent death of Thane-based businessman Mansukh Hiran.

The CBI claimed documents related to the explosives case will aid it in questioning Waze.

The special court kept the matter for hearing on Friday.

Following an order of the Bombay High Court, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) late Tuesday night registered a preliminary enquiry (PE) to probe corruption allegations levelled by former Mumbai police chief Param Bir Singh against Deshmukh.

Singh was shifted from the post of Mumbai police commissioner to the Home Guards department on March 17.

The IPS officer later filed a petition in the HC seeking a CBI probe against Deshmukh, alleging the NCP leader had asked Waze and other police officers to extort Rs 100 crore from restaurants and bars.

Deshmukh, who has rejected allegations levelled against him, resigned from the cabinet on April 5 after the HC order.

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