Why was API Sachin Waze reappointed, asks Devendra Fadnavis

Sachin Waze was arrested by NIA in connection with its investigation into the recovery of explosives from a car parked near Ambani’s house

Slamming the Maharashtra government, BJP leader and former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday questioned why Assistant Police Inspector (API) Sachin Waze was brought back to the Mumbai police last year following his suspension in 2004.

Sachin Waze was arrested by NIA in connection with its investigation into the recovery of explosives from a car parked near Mukesh Ambani’s house in Mumbai. “Question is why was API Sachin Waze reappointed. He was suspended in 2004, took VRS in 2008 and later, his VRS wasn’t accepted due to an inquiry against him. In 2018, there was pressure from Shiv Sena to get him reinstated, but I refused,” said BJP leader and former Maharashtra CM.

“In 2008, Sachin Waze joined Shiv Sena, became their spokesperson and had business relations with them. Despite knowing about the 2017 extortion case against him, Shiv Sena-led government brought him back in 2020, on the pretext of officer shortage due to Covid,” said BJP leader.

Devendra Fadnavis further asked why is the Crime Intelligence Unit is headed by Police Inspector-level officers.

“Crime Intelligence Unit is the most important unit of Mumbai Police. Crime Intelligence Unit is headed by Police Inspector-level officers but Sachin Waze was made CIU’s head in this case (Antilia bomb scare),” said Fadnavis while targeting Shiv Sena.

This comes after NIA on Wednesday confirmed that the person, seen in a CCTV grab walking near Reliance Industries chairperson Mukesh Ambani’s residence on the night of February 25 when an explosive-laden vehicle was found, was Sachin Waze.

“In the CCTV footage, Sachin Waze could be seen with his head covered with a large handkerchief so that no one could identify him. He was wearing an oversized kurta-pyjama, and not PPE coverall, in an attempt to mask his body language and face,” the NIA said.

“A laptop was seized from the cabin of Sachin Waze in a raid day before yesterday but all the data in it was already deleted. He was asked for his cellphone and he had said that he had dropped it somewhere. But the fact is that he had intentionally thrown it away,” NIA added.

Waze was transferred to the Citizen Facilitation Centre at the Mumbai Police Headquarters after his name came up in the death case of Mansukh Hiren, the owner of the vehicle that was found on Carmichael Raod outside Antilia on February 25.

Hiren was found dead in a creek on March 5 in Thane. Waze was sent to NIA custody till March 25. He had on Saturday moved an anticipatory bail application at Thane District and Sessions Court.

The matter briefly came up for hearing on March 12 but the court refused to give Waze interim relief and issued notice to the state government and posted the matter for hearing on March 19.