Sachin Waze was given bar owners' list, told to collect money on Anil Deshmukh's behest: ED tells court

Sachin Waze | File Pic

Mumbai Police officer Sachin Waze had played a key role in collecting "illegal gratification" from bar owners while in service as directed by then Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh who had asked a private person to hand over a list of bars and orchestra owners in Mumbai to Waze, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) told a special court today.

However, the special holiday court judge PR Sitre rejected the agency's demand for an extension of Anil Deshmukh's custody for another nine days and remanded him in judicial custody for 14 days instead.

Anil Deshmukh was arrested by the ED late Monday night after 12 hours of questioning. A court on Tuesday remanded him in the agency's custody till November 6. He was produced before the special court at the end of his ED custody.

Seeking his further custody, the ED told the court that the NCP leader was evasive in his reply and gave vague answers.

The money laundering case against Deshmukh and others was made out after the CBI booked him in a corruption case related to allegations of at least Rs 100 crore bribery made by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh.

The ED alleged that their investigation has revealed that 27 companies, which are directly or indirectly controlled by Anil Deshmukh and his family, have been utilised for infusion of his "ill-gotten" money.

"Further it is also revealed that money has been also flown from personal accounts of Hrishikesh Deshmukh, Salil Deshmukh (sons of Anil Deshmukh) and other family members of Anil Deshmukh to these companies," the ED said.

The ED said another accused, Sachin Waze, has a significant role in this money laundering case as he has played a key role in collecting the illegal gratification from the bar owners of Mumbai at the direction of Anil Deshmukh.

The ED applied to the NIA court on November 5 for allowing the anti-money laundering agency to record the statement of Waze to make him confront the documents/evidence collected from Deshmukh to expedite this case and take it to its logical conclusion.

Waze is currently in the custody of the Mumbai Police's crime branch in connection with an extortion case registered at suburban Goregaon police station.

During the investigation, it has also come to light that a private person has handed over a list of bars and orchestra owners in Mumbai to Sachin Waze on the instruction of Anil Deshmukh, the ED told the court, adding it has summoned this person for verifying the same.

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