Is Vaze being targeted as he is probing cases against Arnab: Sena to Opposition

The editorial slammed the BJP over the ruckus it created in the state legislature demanding Vaze’s arrested for his alleged role in the death of businessman Mansukh Hiran, who was linked to the car found parked outside industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence with explosive gelatin sticks and a threatening letter

Maharashtra’s ruling Shiv Sena on Thursday questioned whether Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was targeting police officer Sachin Vaze for reopening an abetment to suicide case against Arnab Goswami and probing the Republic TV editor-in-chief’s alleged role in a Television Rating Point (TRP) scam.

Sachin Vaze arrives at police commissioner’s office, in Mumbai on March 10. (Pratik Chorge/Hindustan Times)

In an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana, the Sena said Vaze “opened the file” of the suicide case after it was “suppressed” under the previous chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’s rule.

The editorial slammed the BJP over the ruckus it created in the state legislature demanding Vaze’s arrested for his alleged role in the death of businessman Mansukh Hiran, who was linked to the car found parked outside industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence with explosive gelatin sticks and a threatening letter.

“Arnab Goswami duped everybody in the TRP scam, which was being investigated by Vaze. Did the opposition create hue and cry because Arnab will have to answer questions related to the suicide and TRP scam? It is wrong to create ruckus on Mansukh Hiran case because Vaze shut BJP’s beloved Arnab’s mouth,” it added.

Goswami was last year arrested and later released on bail over the alleged abetment to an interior designer and his mother’s death by suicide.

Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh on Wednesday announced Vaze’s transfer while rejecting the BJP demand for his suspension.

The editorial said the government has transferred Vaze, but the decision should not be viewed as the BJP’s victory. It added instead of taking up people’s issues, the opposition raised a hue and cry over Hiran’s death and Vaze. “There are several issues related to people... It would have been good had the opposition taken up such issues in the assembly to corner the government. Instead, they created the ruckus over a suspicious death without allowing a proper investigation to be carried out. This is a perverse version of democracy.”

Fadnavis responded to the editorial saying they have taken up issues related to inflated electricity bills, farmers, and Covid-19 response but the government does not see these as issues. “They only saw issues that pricked them.”

Vaze, who met police commissioner Parambir Singh and other top police officers on Wednesday, said he will clarify his side of the story and release a statement on Thursday. He added he has also met the team investigating Hiran’s death.

Fadnavis has led the attack on the government over Hiran, who was found dead in a creek in Thane on March 5 with handkerchiefs stuffed in his mouth. Hiran’s widow, Vimla, has blamed Vaze.

Fadnavis on Tuesday cited Vimla’s statements to target Vaze. Fadnavis said the car found outside Ambani’s residence was in Vaze’s possession from November 20, 2020. “The car was given to him for use as Hiran knew Vaze, who was the former’s customer. The vehicle was with Vaze before it was returned to Hiran after four months,” Fadnavis said on Tuesday. Fadnavis had accused the government of shielding Vaze.