Sakina Tashrifwala
Published on: 19 November 2022 at 20:57 IST
In the money laundering case, where he allegedly took bribes from several bars and restaurants on the orders of former Cabinet Minister Anil Deshmukh, a Mumbai court has granted bail to the fired Mumbai police officer Sachin Waze.
Today, in response to a request made by Waze under Section 88 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, Special Judge RN Rokade issued the ruling (power of the court to take bond for appearance).
After the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed an FIR in response to a Court-directed investigation into charges of corruption and misuse of his official position, the Enforcement Directorate began an inquiry against Deshmukh and his accomplices.
According to the ED, Deshmukh abused his position as the Home Minister by ordering Waze to collect money totalling 4.7 crores from several Mumbai restaurants and pubs. Waze was also listed on the charge sheet as an accused party in the case.
He went to court earlier this week and claimed that he had not been detained in connection with the case and that he had instead been taken into judicial custody soon after the charge sheet was filed against him.
In his second bail application, Waze had informed the authorities of all information that was known to him. Additionally, he stated that the agency had not objected to his application to become an approver; nonetheless, the Court still has not accepted his plea.
He said that Deshmukh, a co-accused person, had received bail from the Bombay High Court in the same case. Therefore, he looked for parity.
The organisation objected to his bail application, claiming nothing had changed since the initial bail plea.
The Court sided with Waze today and agreed with his claims that he had cooperated with ED’s inquiry and hadn’t been detained.
The Special Judge then approved the request for release because Deshmukh had been granted bail.
However, Waze won’t be released from prison because he is still being held in custody by a judge in connection with the National Investigation Agency’s investigation into the killing of businessman Mansukhlal Hiren after the Antilia bomb scare (NIA).