NIA, which is probing the case, has also found that Waze along with his driver parked the SUV near Ambani #39;s house, the sources said.
Tag: Sachin Waze
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Mansukh Hiran death: Aurangabad man claims number plate recovered by NIA belongs to his vehicle
By PTI
MUMBAI: A resident of Aurangabad in Maharashtra has claimed one of the number plates recovered by the NIA from the Mithi river in Mumbai belonged to his van which was stolen last year, a police official said on Tuesday.The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is probing the cases of the recovery of an explosives-laden SUV found outside the south Mumbai residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani last month and subsequent murder of businessman Mansukh Hiran, the purported owner of that vehicle.
The probe agency on Sunday took suspended Mumbai Police officer Sachin Waze to the Mithi river here and recovered two digital video recorders (DVRs), two CPUs, a laptop, two hard disks, two number plates and a printer with the help of divers.
Vijay Nade, an Aurangabad resident who works as clerk with the social justice department in Jalna, approached the City Chowk police station in Aurangabad on Monday after he started getting calls from journalists about the number plate of his vehicle, the police official said.
One of the number plates, which was dumped into the river, belonged to Nade’s vehicle, he said.
His vehicle was stolen from Aurangabad in November last year and he had lodged a case of theft at the City Chowk police station there, the official said.
“There is an FIR of vehicle theft on November 17 last year. So far, there is no communication from the probe agency (NIA), but we will provide all assistance to them in the case,” Aurangabad City Chowk police station’s senior inspector Sambhaji Powar said.
Nade told PTI on Tuesday he had lodged a complaint of van theft and has CCTV footage of that incident.
“I had submitted all the documents and related evidence to police, but they were not able to trace the vehicle. Suddenly, on Monday, I got information from journalists about the number plate of my vehicle recovered from the Mithi river,” he said.
It is suspected that Assistant Police Inspector Riyazuddin Kaazi had told the NIA during his interrogation that these evidences were thrown into the Mithi river.
Kaazi, who is close to Waze, was questioned by the NIA multiple times in recent past.
It was Kaazi who allegedly took away the DVR from Waze’s housing society on the latter’s instructions.
The body of Hiran, a resident of Thane, was found in Mumbra creek on March 5.
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Param Bir Vs Anil Deshmukh: HC to hear former Mumbai top cop’s PIL Wednesday
By PTI
MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday said it would hear on Wednesday the PIL filed by former Mumbai police chief Param Bir Singh seeking a CBI probe against Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, who he claimed asked police officer Sachin Waze to collect Rs 100 crore from bars and restaurants.Singh filed the criminal Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the HC on March 25.
He claimed Deshmukh had asked police officers, including suspended assistant police inspector Sachin Waze, who has been arrested by the NIA in the case of bomb scare near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence in Mumbai, to collect Rs 100 crore each month from bars and restaurants.
The PIL also raised the issue of alleged corruption in police transfers and postings in the state.
ALSO READ | Ex-HC judge to probe allegations against me: Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh
On Tuesday, senior counsel Vikram Nankani, appearing for Singh, mentioned the petition before a division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G S Kulkarni and sought urgent hearing.
Chief Justice Datta asked Nankani about the prayers sought in the petition and if the PIL is maintainable.
Nankani said the main prayer sought in the petition is for a CBI probe into the serious allegations levelled by a senior IPS officer against a state minister.
“We will satisfy the court with arguments on the maintainability of the petition,” Nankani said.
The HC then posted the PIL for hearing on Wednesday.
Singh had initially approached the Supreme Court, alleging he was transferred from the post of Commissioner Police of Mumbai on March 17 and shunted to the Home Guards department after he complained to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and other senior leaders about the “corrupt malpractices” of Deshmukh.
The apex court had termed the matter as quite serious, but asked Singh to approach the high court.
Singh then filed the PIL in the HC, reiterating his allegations against Deshmukh and seeking an “immediate, unbiased, impartial” probe by the CBI against Deshmukh, who is an NCP leader.
ALSO READ | Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut demands Anil Deshmukh’s resignation as Maharashtra Home Minister
In his PIL, Singh also accused Deshmukh of routinely interfering in police investigations and putting pressure on him to implicate BJP leaders in the case of suicide of Dadra and Nagar Haveli MP Mohan Delkar.
Singh also sought a direction from the HC to the CBI to secure CCTV footage of Deshmukh’s residence from earlier this year before it was “destroyed”, and a direction to the state government to produce all records of communication received from IPS officer Rashmi Shukla in March 2020.
In February last year, Shukla levelled allegations of malpractices in police postings and transfers against Deshmukh and also informed her superiors about it, but soon afterwards she was transferred, the PIL alleged.
The court should pass directions to ensure that in future police officials are not transferred on account of “pecuniary benefits to any politician”, it said.
Deshmukh has denied the allegations against him.
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Had warned that Waze could create problems for Maharashtra govt: Sanjay Raut
By PTI
MUMBAI: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Monday claimed he had warned some party leaders that Sachin Waze, the suspended Mumbai police officer who is currently in the NIA’s custody, could create problems for the Maharashtra government.Raut also said the Sachin Waze episode taught some lessons to the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra.
The Sena, NCP and Congress share power in the state.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) earlier this month arrested Waze over his alleged role in planting an explosive-laden SUV near industrialist Mukesh Ambanis residence in south Mumbai on February 25.
READ| Ambani bomb scare: NIA suppressing evidence in Sachin Waze case, alleges Congress
He was earlier also suspended in 2004 over the custodial death of Ghatkopar bomb blasts accused Khwaja Yunus, and was reinstated into the police force last year.
“When there was plan to reinstate Sachin Waze into the Maharashtra police force, I had informed some leaders that he could create problems for us.
His behaviour and style of working could lead to some troubles for the government,” Raut told a TV channel. The Rajya Sabha member further said he cannot reveal names of those leaders, but “they are well aware of my conversation with them”.
Raut said he has been a journalist for some decades and hence, knows about Waze. A person is not bad, but sometimes a particular situation makes him so, he said.
“This whole incident of Waze’s activities and controversies thereafter taught a lesson to the MVA government.
It was good in a way that it happened and taught us some lessons,” the Sena’s chief spokesperson said.
On Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray backing the suspended police officer, Raut said they did not have enough information about Waze and his activities.
“The chief minister supported him, but with his (Waze’s) activities having surfaced, there is no reason to shield the officer,” he said.
On the speculation in political circles that Union Home Minister Amit Shah met NCP leader Sharad Pawar in Ahmedabad on Saturday, Raut said Shah is known for holding several meetings in the Gujarat city with various leaders.
“There is nothing to raise eyebrows over the rumoured meeting between Sharad Pawar and BJP leader Amit Shah. In fact, a dialogue between leaders of opposition (rival) parties is good. I am saying this provided they actually met each other in Ahmedabad,” he said.
Raut further said even if Pawar and Shah had met, there was nothing to read too much into it.
“If it was really a secret meeting, how come it (news about it) came out,” he said.
Raut also said the three-party alliance in Maharashtra will not be affected by the outcome of the Assembly polls in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu or other states.
On his remark in Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ where he called Maharashtra NCP leader Anil Deshmukh an accidental home minister, Raut said Deshmukh is a gentleman.
“He must have gone through a lot of trouble and hardship while handling a crucial portfolio like the home ministry.
I had even spoken to him and told him that he would face lot of criticism,” the Sena leader said.
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NIA recovers DVR, number plates from river in presence of suspended Mumbai cop Sachin Waze
By PTI
MUMBAI: The NIA on Sunday took suspended Mumbai Police officer Sachin Waze to the Mithi river here and recovered a digital video recorder (DVR), CPUs, a laptop and two number plates with the help of divers, a police official said.The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is probing the cases of the recovery of an explosives-laden SUV found outside the south Mumbai residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani last month and subsequent murder of businessman Mansukh Hiran, the purported owner of that vehicle.
During the search with the help of divers, the NIA also recovered routers, computer cartridges and other materials from the river, the official said.
#WATCH | Maharashtra: Divers of NIA recover computer CPUs, two number plates carrying the same registration number, and other items from Mithi river in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex as the agency probes the death of Mansukh Hiren.Accused Sachin Waze is also present at the spot pic.twitter.com/RXq2d4cCMP
— ANI (@ANI) March 28, 2021The DVR was allegedly removed from the housing society in Thane where Waze lives.
The NIA team took Waze to the spot in Bandra Kurla Complex around 3 PM, the official said, adding that the search is still underway.
“The NIA is taking the help of professional as well as local divers who know the Mithi river well. More evidence is likely to be recovered,” he said.
It is suspected that Assistant Police Inspector Riyazuddin Kaazi had told the NIA during his interrogation that this evidence was thrown into the Mithi river.
Kaazi, who is close to Waze, was questioned by the NIA multiple times in recent past.
It was Kaazi who allegedly took away the DVR from Waze’s housing society on the latter’s instructions.
The body of Hiran, a resident of Thane, was found in Mumbra creek on March 5.
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Ambani bomb scare: NIA suppressing evidence in Sachin Waze case, alleges Congress
By PTI
MUMBAI: The Congress on Saturday accused the National Investigation Agency (NIA) of suppressing evidence in the ongoing probe in the Sachin Waze case.Talking to reporters here, state Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said, “API Sachin Waze’s office was 200 feet away from the office of the then Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh. He had direct access to Singh. However, the NIA is not probing Singh in the bomb scare case.”
“NIA not carrying out inquiry against Waze’s seniors and Param Bir Singh gives rise to suspicion. The agency is deliberately suppressing some evidence,” he said.
Waze (49) was arrested on March 13 by the NIA in connection with the probe into the explosives-laden SUV found parked near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s house on February 25.
Waze is also being probed for his alleged role in the murder of Thane-based businessman Mansukh Hiran, who was found dead in a creek in Thane on March 5.
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NIA officials take Sachin Waze to Thane creek where Mansukh Hiran’s body was found
By PTI
MUMBAI: Officials of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday evening took suspended police officer Sachin Waze to Reti Bunder creek in Thane where businessman Mansukh Hiran’s body had been found.The NIA, which has now taken over both the Ambani security scare case as well as the Hiran murder matter, got further custody of Waze till April 3 earlier in the day.
In the evening, some seven or eight officials took Waze to the spot where Hiran’s body had been found on March 5, a local police official said.
On Wednesday, the NIA had taken custody from the Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) of suspended police officer Vinayak Shinde and cricket bookie Naresh Gaur in the Hiran case.
Waze was arrested by the NIA on March 13 in connection with the Scorpio with gelatin sticks and threat letter found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s house in south Mumbai on February 25.
Hiran had claimed that this Scorpio had been stolen from his possession a week earlier.
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Ambani bomb scare: Sachin Waze’s NIA custody extended till April 3; cop says made scapegoat
By PTI
MUMBAI: The special court here on Thursday extended till April 3 the NIA custody of suspended police officer Sachin Waze in the Ambani security scare case, with the probe agency claiming that the alleged crime fell in the category of “terrorist act”.The National Investigation Agency also told the court it wanted to confront Waze with the other accused in the Mansukh Hiran murder, a related case, and also probe 62 unaccounted for bullets found at Waze’s house.
Waze pleaded that he had been made a “scapegoat”.
Waze (49), an assistant police inspector with the Mumbai crime branch, was arrested on March 13 by the National Investigation Agency.
He was produced before the court on Thursday after his earlier remand expired.
ALSO READ | NIA invokes UAPA against Sachin Waze in Antilia bomb scare case
The NIA, which has invoked the stringent provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against Waze, sought his custody for another 15 days.
“I have been made a scapegoat and have nothing to do with the case,” Waze told judge P R Sitre during the hearing.
“I was investigating officer of the case for one and a half days, and did whatever I could in that capacity. But there was suddenly change in some plan somewhere. I went to the NIA office on my own and was arrested,” he said.
Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, the NIA lawyer, told the court that Waze’s crime being “a terrorist act” and as a person (Hiran) was also killed and explosives were planted, further 15-day custody was needed.
The probe agency recovered 62 bullets from his house for which he could not account, and it needed to probe why they were kept there, Singh said.
The police department had issued Waze another 30 bullets of which only five were recovered, the ASG said.
Waze’s voice samples and some video clips showing him have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory, he said.
NIA also found that a suite was booked for 100 days at a plush hotel in south Mumbai by paying Rs 12 lakh and using a fake Aadhar card with a false name but Waze’s photo as ID proof, and this has to be probed, the lawyer said.
Waze and his accomplices destroyed seven or eight DVRs (CCTV footage recordings) to eliminate evidence against them, the NIA said.
The murder of Thane businessman Mansukh Hiran — who had claimed that the SUV with gelatin sticks found near Mukesh Ambani’s house had been stolen from his possession — was a connected case, and the NIA got the custody of two other accused arrested in that case from the Maharashtra Anti- Terrorism Squad only the day before, Singh said.
They need to confront Waze with the other accused, he added.
Waze’s lawyer Aabad Ponda contended that the UAPA could not be invoked in this case.
The gelatin sticks in the SUV were without a detonator and hence their recovery does not fall under the purview of the UAPA, he argued.
“Terrorist act” as defined under the UAPA must be against the country or a public functionary, and not just some famous individual, the lawyer argued.
After hearing the submissions, the judge extended the custody only till April 3.
Meanwhile, speaking to reporters, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut indicated that a judicial inquiry may be instituted to probe former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh’s allegations that state home minister Anil Deshmukh had asked Waze and other police officers to collect money from bars and hotels.
In Delhi, Union minister Ramdas Athawale met President Ram Nath Kovind and sought President’s rule in Maharashtra in the wake of Singh’s allegation of corruption against Deshmukh and the Waze affair.
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‘Extremely disturbed by slanderous campaign against me’: Anil Deshmukh on Param Bir letter
By PTI
MUMBAI: Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Tuesday said he was “extremely disturbed” by the campaign of slander against him and wanted to set the record straight about his hospitalization last month.Deshmukh is under fire after former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh alleged that the minister had summoned police officer Sachin Waze around mid-February and asked him to help with `collection’ of money from hotels and bars in Mumbai.
The minister, who has denied the allegations, met chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday evening.
“I am extremely disturbed by the slander in various forms of media aimed at maligning my and my department’s image,” Deshmukh said in a video message.
“I was hospitalized after contracting the COVID-19 and got admitted to a hospital on February 5. I was there till February 15. I was discharged and flew back to Mumbai and remained in home quarantine,” he said.
“I conducted some video conferences with officials and party meetings. I started my preparations for the Budget session. Many officials were visiting my official residence for briefing required before the budget session,” he said.
Considering how people were being “misled”, he found it important “to set the record straight about my health and its chronology,” said the home minister.
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Mansukh Hiran murder case: ATS seizes high-end car from Daman
By PTI
MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has seized a high-end car from Daman in connection with the Mansukh Hiran murder case, an official said on Tuesday.The Volvo car with the Maharashtra registration number was seized on Monday, the official said, adding there is no clarity so far on who owned this car.
The seized car is kept at the ATS office in Thane neighbouring Mumbai, he said.
After arresting two persons on Saturday night in connection with the murder case, the ATS detained a person from Gujarat who had allegedly provided them SIM cards, officials had said, adding they recovered many SIM cards from the person.
The ATS last week arrested suspended policeman Vinayak Shinde and cricket bookie Naresh Gaur in the case.
The SUV with explosives found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s house in Mumbai on February 25 had been allegedly stolen from possession of Hiran, the Thane-based businessman whose body was found in a creek in Mumbra on March 5.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is probing the case of recovery of the explosives-laden SUV and arrested Mumbai Police officer Sachin Waze, had seized five high-end cars during its probe, including two Mercedes, 1 Prado, the Scorpio which was used to carry explosives, and an Innova car.
The ATS had said that Waze was also a prime accused in the Hiran murder case.
The NIA suspects that at least three of the seized five cars were used by Waze, who was posted as Assistant Police Inspector (API) with the Crime Intelligence Unit (API) when arrested on March 13.
He was later suspended from service.
On Monday morning, theATS team took accused Shinde to the residence of Waze in Thane and later to the creek in Mumbra were Hiran’s body was found.
Though the Hiran murder case was transferred to the NIA on March 20, the ATS is still conducting investigation.
The ATS had lodged a murder case under section 302 (punishment for murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence or giving false information to screen offender) 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code against unknown persons and on Saturday his murder case have been handed over to National Investigation Agency (NIA) for further probe, official addd.