Maharashtra: Fadnavis demands Vaze’s arrest; MVA govt announces SIT probe in Delkar suicide case

Leader of Opposition and former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday raised suspicion over the role of police officer Sachin Vaze in businessman Mansukh Hiran’s death case and demanded his arrest

Leader of Opposition and former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday raised suspicion over the role of police officer Sachin Vaze in businessman Mansukh Hiran’s death case and demanded his arrest. This led to an uproar in the state assembly.

Devendra Fadnavis.

From the treasury benches, Shiv Sena and Congress demanded the arrest of those involved in Dadra and Nagar Haveli’s member of Parliament (MP) Mohan Delkar’s suicide and accused Fadnavis of hushing up Anway Naik suicide case when he was at the helm of the state.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh announced that a special investigation team (SIT) will probe the Delkar suicide case.

Fadnavis, while raising the issue in the state assembly, alleged that Hiran was murdered in a car and his body was thrown in Thane creek last week and Vaze should be immediately arrested under section 201 of the Indian Penal Code for his involvement in it. Fadnavis accused the Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi of shielding Vaze by not initiating action against him.

“In her statement to the police, Mansukh Hiran’s wife has said that the car found outside Antilia, industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s south Mumbai residence, was in possession of Sachin Vaze from November 20, last year. 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,” he said.

Fadnavis said that Vaze and one Dhananjay Gawade were named in an FIR lodged for extortion in 2017. “The anti-terrorism squad has been investigating the case of murder, but Vaze should first be arrested under section 201 of the Indian Penal Code,” said Fadnavis.

Vaze was the investigation officer in the case being probed by the Mumbai crime branch after the vehicle was found abandoned outside Ambani’s house. It had some sticks of gelatine, an explosive.

Fadnavis also said that according to the statement, Vaze had asked Hiran to get arrested in the case which was being investigated by the Mumbai crime branch. “The letter submitted to the chief minister, home minister and police commissioner of Mumbai by Hiran was written on behest of Vaze,” alleged Fadnavis.

Hiran’s body was found near Retibunder area in Thane creek last Friday hours after he went missing. Hiran, a Thane businessman, was the owner of the vehicle found outside Ambani’s residence in Mumbai two weeks ago.

In response to the allegations by Fadnavis, Shiv Sena leader and parliamentary affairs minister Anil Parab demanded action in Dadra and Nagar Haveli MP Mohan Delkar’s suicide in Mumbai two weeks ago. Parab said Delkar had named the union territory’s administrator in his suicide note, despite which, no arrest has been made so far. Congress’s Nana Patole said that Delkar, who was found dead in a south Mumbai hotel on February 22, has held the administrator of the union territory responsible for his suicide in a note left behind.

Shiv Sena member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) and former minister Bhaskar Jadhav accused Fadnavis of hushing up the Anway Naik case when the latter was chief minister and home minister. “Vaze is being targeted because he was in the team which arrested Republic TV’s Arnab Goswami for the alleged involvement in Anway Naik case. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) does not want Vaze to remain in the investigation team, hence the pressure is being mounted for his suspension. Fadnavis had hushed up the Naik suicide case,” he alleged.

Naik died by suicide in 2018, holding Goswami and the other two responsible for non-payment of the interior design work allotted to his firm.

Fadnavis told reporters outside the house that the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government was worried that Vaze might disclose links to some people in the government if he was grilled. He also said there is one more officer from the anti-extortion cell involved in the entire case. He added that one more vehicle used in the case is missing and he would soon reveal more details. “After we raised the issue in the lower house, state home minister admitted during our meeting in the presence of deputy speaker Narhari Zirwal to suspend Vaze. However, the latter chief minister intervened and the decision was changed,” he said.

Responding to allegations in the Hiran case, home minister Anil Deshmukh told the assembly that the ATS (which is probing the case) will investigate the case thoroughly. “Nobody will be spared if found guilty in the case,” he insisted.

In response to the accusation of suppressing the Anway Naik case, Fadnavis dared the state government with his inquiry in Naik case. He said that the government should not threaten him just because he raised questions over Vaze’s involvement in the Hiran case. Fadnavis also raised questions over Vaze’s reinstatement in the police force. The officer was suspended from the force in March 2003, on charges of the alleged custodial death of Khwaja Yunus, a suspect in the December 2002 Ghatkopar bomb blast case. In June 2020, the MVA government reinstated him in the force.

Meanwhile, Deshmukh also announced an SIT to probe Mohan Delkar’s suicide. He said that the family members of Delkar will be given necessary protection.

The announcement of the SIT was made by the home minister in Assembly after the opposition raised the issue of police officer Sachin Vaze’s alleged involvement in Mansukh Hiren’s death case. Deshmukh said in the lower house that in his suicide note, Delkar had named Dadra and Nagar Haveli’s administrator responsible for his suicide and chose Mumbai to take the drastic step as he was sure that he will get justice in Maharashtra. Deshmukh said that Delkar’s wife Kalaben and son Abhinav met him and sought thourugh investigation.

Kalaben and Abhinav also met chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and home minister Anil Deshmukh at Vidhan Bhavan on Tuesday. Abhinav alleged that public humiliation, harassment by administrator and administration in Dadra and Nagar Haveli forced his father to take extreme step. Deshmukh said that police will ensure protection to Delkar family.

Delkar found dead in a south Mumbai hotel on February 22.

Pandemonium in the house led to eight adjournments and was later adjourned for the day after opposition continued to raise demand for the suspension of Vaze.

Inputs by Faisal Malik