MUMBAI: Adding fuel to the bribery controversy that plagued former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh’s tenure, dismissed Mumbai police officer Sachin Vaze who is currently in jail, has accused of collecting money through his personal assistant.  Vaze is an accused in the Mansukh Hiran murder case which is linked to the Antilia terror threat case where gelatin sticks were kept outside the residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani in 2021.

Vaze who spoke to reports while he was being taken for a medical examination, claimed that he had given all the details in a letter to Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and added that he has also named the Nationalist Congress Party- Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) state president Jayant Patil also in the letter.

Vaze, who is also an accused in the Rs 100 crore extortion case along with Deshmukh, has claimed that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has evidence that Deshmukh was collecting money through his assistant.

He said, “Whatever has happened is on record. The evidence is there with the CBI. The money used to go to Deshmukh through his PA. The CBI has the proof and I have also written a letter to Devendra Fadnavis. I have submitted all the evidence. I am ready for that (narcoanalysis test). In the letter that I have written, I have named Jayant Patil as well.” 

Reacting to Vaze’s claims, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and MLC Prasad Lad demanded the re-arrest of Deshmukh. “The allegations made by Vaze against Patil and Deshmukh are serious in nature. A probe must be conducted, and if needed, Deshmukh should be re-arrested after cancelling his bail,” Lad said. Minister Girish Mahajan also said that an inquiry must be conducted on all those who have extorted money during the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government’s tenure.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, however, said that the BJP was using Vaze. “The BJP is using Vaze fearing a defeat in the upcoming (Assembly) polls. Who is Sachin Vaze? He is a murderer who is in jail,” Raut said and also mentioned that the BJP, unable to provide a solid reply to Deshmukh's statement against Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, intentionally released Vaze from jail to make a statement against Deshmukh.