ED may withdraw consent to Waze to turn approver

The agency’s decision means that Sachin Waze will be treated as an accused in the case and not as a prosecution witness. Waze was arrested in March 2021 for his alleged role in the case concerning an explosives-laden vehicle found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence

Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has decided to withdraw its consent to dismissed Mumbai police officer Sachin Waze to turn approver in its money-laundering investigation of former Maharashtra home minister and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh. Confirming the ED’s move, agency sources said that its decision would be communicated to the concerned special court soon. The agency’s decision means that Waze will be treated as an accused in the case and not as a prosecution witness, the sources said.

Sachin Waze was arrested in March 2021 for his alleged role in the case concerning an explosives-laden vehicle found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence in South Mumbai and the subsequent murder of Thane businessman Mansukh Hiran. (HT Photo)

The ED probe is based upon a First Information Report registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in April 2021 against Deshmukh, Waze and others following an order of the Bombay high court. The CBI case invoked sections under the Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act. In March 2021, Mumbai’s former commissioner of police Param Bir Singh had alleged that Deshmukh, who was then the home minister of Maharashtra, had given a target to certain police officers to collect ₹100 crore per month from city restaurants and bars. After the court order, Deshmukh had resigned from the state cabinet.

The ED had accused Deshmukh of misusing his official position and collecting ₹4.70 crore from various bars and restaurants in the city. The money was thereafter allegedly channelled to a Nagpur-based educational trust controlled by the Deshmukh family, according to the ED.

Waze was arrested in March 2021 for his alleged role in the case concerning an explosives-laden vehicle found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence in South Mumbai and the subsequent murder of Thane businessman Mansukh Hiran.

In February 2022, Waze, who was then incarcerated at Navi Mumbai ‘s Taloja prison, had written to the ED, seeking its no-objection to him turning approver. The ED gave its nod to Vaze’s plea in June 2022. Earlier, on June 1, 2022, a special court had allowed Waze to turn an approver in the CBI’s alleged corruption case against Deshmukh, subject to him making a full disclosure in the case. Waze is currently in judicial custody.

In October last year, the Bombay high court granted bail to Deshmukh in the money-laundering case registered by the ED. In its order, it held that two parts of credits in an account of a trust controlled by the Deshmukh family, which were under the scanner of the ED, were not “proceeds of crime”. “The third component (of credit) depends on the statement of Sachin Waze which, after discussion, this court has held falls in favour of the applicant (Deshmukh),” it further said.

The Bombay high court had in December 2022 granted bail to Deshmukh in the CBI case. In January this year, the Supreme Court dismissed the CBI’s appeal challenging the high court order.