Vaze arrest: Fadnavis says case is major plot, more names will come out

Fadnavis said the way the details are coming out now shows this was a major conspiracy of which some police officer is part of.

Former chief minister and Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra assembly Devendra Fadnavis, while reacting to the arrest of Sachin Vaze, said the action against the police officer shows the case is a major plot and other names in it will soon come out. The former chief minister said the arrest of the officer who was investigating the case has put a major question mark on the way the entire probe was earlier carried out.

File photo: Former Maharashtra CM and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis. (HT archive)

Fadnavis, while speaking in Pune on Sunday, said, the way the details are coming out now shows this was a major conspiracy of which some police officer is part of.

“This isn’t a small plot. It is a major plot. There are many people involved in this. All those who are involved and the reasons for doing this will come out now,” said Fadnavis.

Vaze was in the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) leading the investigation into the security scare outside industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence Antilia in Mumbai. However, following the death of Mansukh Hiren, a Thane based decor businessman who had been in possession of the vehicle, Fadnavis presented some fresh details putting Vaze at the centre of the case.

Late on Saturday, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is investigating the February 25 bomb scare outside Antilia, arrested Vaze.

On Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut’s allegation that Vaze’s arrest is part of a conspiracy to destabilise the Maharashtra government, Fadnavis said, “What Raut said is laughable. In fact, what some police officers were doing itself was an attempt to destabilise the government.”

Raut had also alleged that the opposition is hurting the image of Mumbai police to which Fadnavis said, "If the investigating officer is involved this way and is arrested, it puts a series of questions. Those who are saying we are damaging the image should give it a thought that such an act by some officer is actually causing more damage to the image of Maharashtra and Mumbai police."

Fadnavis also questioned the reinstatement of Vaze into the police force last year when the High Court had not cleared his name in the killing of Khwaja Yunus in police custody.

“When I was the chief minister and holding home portfolio, the Shiv Sena had asked me to reinduct Vaze. I referred the case to Mmaharashtra’s advocate general, who opined against it. However, after Shiv Sena came to power, Vaze was reinstated into service citing a shortage of manpower due to Covid,” Fanadnavis said, adding, Vaze was directly given charge of the crime intelligence unit.