VAZE REINSTATED AT SINGH’S BEHEST: MUMBAI POLICE CHIEF

MUMBAI: Suspended police officer Sachin Waze was reinstated in the Crime Intelligence Unit in June last year on the insistence of then Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh despite the strong objection raised by then Joint commissioner of police (crime), according to a report by Mumbai Police commissioner Hemant Nagrale to the Maharashtra government,

The report, seen by HT, said Vaze bypassed protocol and hierarchy to directly report to Nagrale’s predecessor who practically took all critical decisions relating to arrests, raids, remand applications and the police stand on anticipatory bail in cases handled by CIU.

“Vaze used to accompany Param Bir Singh during the briefing to the minister, home, on critical cases, including the TRP [television ratings point] scam, Antilia explosive scare, and Dilip Chhabria’s arrest. Vaze never obeyed the hierarchy of ranks to report over the cases under investigation,” the document said.

Singh did not respond to phone calls and text messages sent by HT for his response to the report.

Officials said Nagrale was told to send the report to the home department after Vaze’s arrest by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on March 13 for his alleged role in planting a vehicle with 20 loose gelatin sticks near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence, Antilia. He is also the prime suspect in the murder of Thane businessman Mansukh Hiran, who is linked to the vehicle found near Antilia.

This case is also being investigated by the NIA.

Nagrale’s report, which links Singh to Vaze, immediately prompted calls to put the former city police chief’s role under scrutiny. Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said this was something they had been demanding for days, because of Singh’s “close proximity” with Vaze.

“It has now been established that Singh is as responsible as

Vaze in these two cases,” the Congress leader said.

Police commissioner Nagrale’s report also links Singh to the decision to revoke Vaze’s suspension. “The decision about the reinstatement of Vaze was taken in a suspension review committee meeting on June 5, 2020, chaired by Singh, joint police commissioner (administration) and other two senior officers. Vaze was reinstated on June 9 and was given posting in CIU, after initial appointment in the armed unit,” the report said, pointing that the then joint commissioner (crime) had strongly opposed Vaze’s posting in the CIU.

It said Singh ensured that Vaze headed the CIU though he, unlike other police officers who led the crucial unit in the past, was not an inspector-rank officer.