SUV bomb scare case: Mumbai police start process of dismissing Sachin Waze

Sachin Waze at the CP’s office in November last year. File pic

Going a step ahead in the investigation against suspended assistant police inspector (API) Sachin Waze, the Mumbai Police have started the process of dismissing him from service under Article 311 of the Indian Constitution. The process was initiated after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) sent its report explaining Waze's role in the Ambani bomb scare and Mansukh Hiran murder cases.

A senior NIA officer confirmed to mid-day that the report had been submitted to the Mumbai Police as part of the investigation. The city police have forwarded the report to its legal wing to initiate the process of dismissing the accused from service. "The process of dismissal has been initiated under Article 311 (dismissal, removal or reduction in rank of persons employed in civil capacities under the Union or a State) of The Constitution of India. If the authorities are satisfied he will be dismissed from the force," a senior IPS officer told mid-day.

Apart from the NIA, the Mumbai Crime Branch also conducted its internal probe against Waze and found that he was allegedly extorting money from people connected to the cases handled by the CIU, including TRP manipulation, fake followers, fake call centre, cricket betting and Dilip Chhabaria dual registration case. The Enforcement Directorate, which has been probing the money-laundering angle in the TRP manipulation case, found that Waze took bribe from BARC. The agency is likely to submit its report to the Maharashtra Anti Corruption Bureau to initiate a case against Waze under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Apart from the recent cases, Waze had also got suspended in 2004 in connection with the custodial death of Khwaja Yunus. He was reinstated in 2020 due to the pandemic.

NIA IG transferred to parent cadre

Anil Shukla, who was posted as inspector general at NIA Mumbai and was probing both the Ambani bomb scare and Mansukh Hiran murder cases, has been transferred to his parent cadre Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT). He was on deputation and has successfully completed his tenure. Gyanendra Verma, 2001 batch IPS officer, took over the charge at the NIA Mumbai division.