Want to retract part of deposition made before probe panel: Waze

Sachin Waze told an inquiry commission, probing Anil Deshmukh, that he wants to file an affidavit to retract certain deposition made during his cross-examination.

Dismissed Mumbai police officer Sachin Waze on Thursday told an inquiry commission, probing corruption allegations against former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh, that he wants to file an affidavit to retract certain deposition made during his cross-examination.

Waze, currently in judicial custody following his arrest in the Antilia bomb scare-Mansukh Hiran murder case, had recently deposed before the commission headed by Justice K U Chandiwal (retd).

The state government formed the commission last year to probe allegations of corruption levelled against Deshmukh, a senior NCP leader, by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh. Waze's statement is part of a supplementary charge-sheet filed by the ED in a money laundering case against Deshmukh, which stems from the graft allegations, in a court here in December last year. Besides Deshmukh, his two sons as well as nine others, including companies, have been named in the charge-sheet. In a hand written plea moved through his legal team, Waze said he wants to file an application along with an affidavit to retract certain deposition made by him during his cross-examination at the panel. However, it was not clear which part of the deposition Waze wants to retract. The dismissed police officer, during his deposition before the Chandiwal panel, had denied making any payment to Deshmukh or any of his staff member. He had also denied collecting money from bars and restaurant owners in Mumbai. Earlier, in his statement before the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Waze had alleged Deshmukh asked him to collect money from bar and hotel owners. The former assistant police inspector had also claimed that Deshmukh, as home minister, used to give instructions in high-profile investigations. Waze had alleged that during a meeting held in October 2020 at Deshmukh's residence 'Dyneshwari', the NCP leader gave him a list of 1,750 bars and restaurants and asked him to collect Rs 3 lakh each from these establishments for granting various favours. However, before the commission, Waze had denied making any payment to Deshmukh or any of his staff member or receiving instructions from the former minister to collect money from pubs and restaurant owners in Mumbai. Deshmukh, who resigned from the state cabinet in April last year, has denied all allegations made by Waze. Incidentally, Waze's move came in the backdrop of Singh's claim that Deshmukh had asked Waze to retract his statements recorded earlier by the ED while deposing before the commission. Meanwhile, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Thursday produced before the commission confidential documents pertaining to its probe into the Antilia bomb scare-Mansukh Hiran murder case. The inquiry panel, in a previous hearing, had asked the ATS to submit papers related to the case, which is now being handled by the NIA. Waze was arrested in March 2021 following the recovery of an SUV with explosives parked near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's south Mumbai residence 'Antilia' and the subsequent death of Thane-based businessman Mansukh Hiran, who was the owner of the vehicle. He was later dismissed from police service. Singh, now suspended, was transferred from the post of Mumbai police commissioner after the twin incidents.