Sachin Vaze, the Maharashtra police officer currently under arrest has told the Enforcement Directorate that the former Maharashtra Home Minister and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh had wanted Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami to be arrested in the TRP rigging case where some TV channels were accused of manipulating TRP to claim an inflated viewership.
As per reports, the tainted cop has revealed that Anil Deshmukh, NCP leader and former Maharashtra Home Minister, had been personally involved in the attempt to get Arnab Goswami arrested, apart from demanding bribes and extortions worth crores from business owners.
Sachin Vaze has submitted before the ED that after he was reinstated into the force by Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh after paying Rs 2 crores, Anil Deshmukh used to personally call him at his office or home to brief him on various cases. These included the TRP rigging case, Arnab Goswami’s arrest in the abetment to suicide case regarding the death of architect Anvay Naik, Dilip Chhabria’s case, and the social media fake follower case.
“In TRP case Anil Deshmukh wanted to arrest Arnab Goswami. In the Dilip Chhabria Case, Anil Deshmukh wanted me to get some kind of settlement with his partner of approx. Rs.150 crores. In Social Media Fake follower case he wanted to have all-out action against the culprits.” Vaze revealed this in his statement to the ED.
‘The conspiracy is out, Republic and Arnab have won’, Republic TV responds to the statement by Sachin Vaze
Responding to the explosive revelation made by the tainted Mumbai cop Sachin Vaze who is currently lodged in Taloja jail in connection with the Antilia bomb-scare case and the subsequent murder of Thane businessman Mansukh Hiran, Republic TV Tweeted: “The conspiracy is out: Republic and Arnab have won. But more importantly, the people have won”.
#RepublicWins | The conspiracy is out: Republic and Arnab have won. But more importantly, the people have won. https://t.co/0KiTMDM5ET
— Republic (@republic) September 17, 2021
‘The biggest conspiracy against any media house in the history of independent India’: Arnab Goswami
Meanwhile, speaking to OpIndia, Republic TV Editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami said: “Now that it’s clear that the TRP case against Republic TV was a malicious fabrication done on political instructions, the media that was complicit owes an apology to me and an explanation to the nation”, said Goswami.
“This is the biggest conspiracy against any media house in the history of independent India. The darkest aspect is that many in the media were part of this sleazy attempt to target Republic,” added the journalist.
It is notable here that former Mumbai CP Parambir Singh had accused Republic TV of TRP manipulation in a much-publicised press conference. The accusations were later found to be fabricated, as the channel accused of TRP manipulation in the FIR by BARC was India Today, not Republic TV.
What followed with the constant attacks over the TRP case, and the forceful reopening of the Anvay Naik death probe was exposed to be a sinister attempt by the political powers to target Arnab Goswami and Republic TV.
The abetment to suicide case in which Arnab Goswami was arrested
Reportedly, Vaze was given instructions by Deshmukh in the abetment to suicide case regarding the death of architect Anvay Naik in which journalist Arnab Goswami was arrested. The closed 2018 case was opened and Arnab was arrested from his house, despite having no direct links with the architect. The Supreme Court had stayed the proceedings against Arnab Goswami later.
Vaze ‘the encounter specialist’ had personally led Arnab Goswami’s probe shortly after being reinstated by Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh. Prior to this Vaze was facing suspension for 16 years on murder charges in a 2003 custodial death case.
‘Deshmukh asked me to collect money from bars’: Sachin Vaze to ED
Besides, Sachin Vaze in his statement to the Enforcement Directorate had (ED) also revealed that Deshmukh had asked him to collect money from bar and hotel owners.
Vaze in his statement has listed three ‘good’ cases for which he received instructions from Vaze. Vaze accused Deskhmukh of giving “instructions” for the TRP rigging case, the abetment to suicide case in which Arnab Goswami was implicated and Vasooli’ from bars and restaurants.
Sachin Vaze named in ED chargesheet
Vaze has been named as an accused by the ED in its prosecution complaint filed in connection with bribery and money laundering case.
Vaze’s statements are a part of this charge sheet filed by the ED recently against Deshmukh’s personal secretary Sanjeev Palande and personal assistant Kundan Shinde in an alleged money laundering case.
13 others named in the charge sheet include a trust and other companies linked to Deshmukh and his family including two of his staffers, Kundan Shinde and Sanjeev Palande, who were arrested in June.
