I never met Sachin Waze, don’t even know his name: Ex-Maha minister Anil Deshmukh tells Chandiwal commission

He was being cross-examined by dismissed cop Sachin Waze's advocate Yogesh Naidu. During the recording of evidence, Naidu pointed to a WhatsApp message received by Waze from one Ankit Anand, who owned a bar named True Tramm Trunk (TTT). It is Waze's allegation that Anand was a close friend of Deshmukh's son Salil Deshmukh

I never met Sachin Waze, don't even know his name: Ex-Maha minister Anil Deshmukh tells Chandiwal commission

Anil Deshmukh and Sachin Waze. File Pic

Former Maharashtra home minister and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh deposed before the Chandiwal Commission and said that he has never met suspended Mumbai Police official Sachin Waze and doesn't even know him or his name. Deshmukh also denied allegations that extortion money was demanded from a bar owner.

Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh appears before the Chandiwal Commission

Dismissed Mumbai Police officer Sachin Vaze's counsel will cross-examine him (Deshmukh), in connection with the corruption charges leveled against him by former Mumbai CP Param Bir Singh pic.twitter.com/ShbP6ZWolm
— ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2022

#UPDATE | "I never met (dismissed Mumbai Police officer) Sachin Vaze. I don't know him, not even his name," former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh told Chandiwal Commission
— ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2022

Chandiwal Commission rejects the application filed by dismissed Mumbai Police officer Sachin Vaze requesting to call upon Mumbai Jt. CP Crime Milind Bharambe to record his statement as a witness
— ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2022

The Whatsapp message read "I am ready with the collection as told by Salil about hukka parlour, pubs and orchestra bars. Pls let me know when to meet you. Ankit anand, friend of Salil Deshmukh (HM son)". Naidu asked Deshmukh if he knew Anand, to which the NCP leader replied in the negative and also denied the extortion allegation.

It is Waze's allegation that TTT was one of the 1,750 bars from where Deshmukh had asked him to extort money. After Naidu completed his cross-examination, Deshmukh before rising from his seat in the witness box told the commission he wanted to speak about "param satya". "Why did Param Bir Singh (former commissioner of police) write that letter (leveling corruption allegations against Deshmukh). I want to state that the 'param satya' should come out," Deshmukh said. Justice Chandiwal, however, told Deshmukh he will need to take written permission if he wanted to speak. He further said the former minister had already stated whatever he wished to say in his affidavit.

Waze's application seeking to summon Mumbai Joint Police Commissioner Milind Bharambe as a witness was also rejected, though Justice Chandiwal gave a day's time to Waze to take legal opinion on whether he wanted the challenge the order. The Maharashtra government, in March last year, formed the one-member commission under Justice KU Chandiwal (retired) to probe Param Bir Singh's allegations against Deshmukh. Singh, who was transferred from the post of Mumbai police commissioner in March in the aftermath of the Antilia bomb scare episode, had claimed Deshmukh had asked police officers to collect Rs 100 crore a month from bars and restaurants in the city.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are also probing these allegations against Deshmukh, who is currently in judicial custody in a money laundering case.

(With inputs from ANI)

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