Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Vijaykant Sagar has said that tainted cop Sachin Vaze was chargesheeted in a 25-lakh extortion case in September 2018, reported Hindustan Times. The revelation comes days after the former assistant police inspector (API) has been remanded to NIA custody for his involvement in the Antilia bomb scare.
DCP Vijayakant Sagar (Mira Bhayander Vasai Virar) said that Vaze’s name had surfaced during a probe in the extortion case by the Vasai Crime Branch. Although the trial is yet to commence, the tainted cop had secured an anticipatory bail in the case. DCP Sagar stated that after the custodial murder of Khwaja Yunus and his eventual suspension, Sachin Vaze had helped accused Dr Anil Yadav and Amol Patil to destroy evidence in the extortion case.
Sachin Vaze had reportedly had met Yadav in Gujarat, where the evidence was destroyed and handed him a car. Under the tutelage of ex-API Vaze, Yadav and Patil would extort money from builders. Sachin Vaze would also guide them to run from the law enforcement authorities and escape arrest. Accused Anil Yadav is a doctor by profession who had turned into a Right To Information activist.
“Vaze would advise Yadav on how to escape the law and was instrumental in helping him flee to Uttar Pradesh. Yadav was arrested in April 2017,” DCP Sagar said. He added that the local Crime Branch had also recovered a revolver from Yadav used for extorting money from the builder in Vasai. It must be mentioned that out of 25 lakhs, co-accused Amol Patil had taken ₹2 lakhs as the first instalment.
Sachin Vaze’s connection in the Antilia Bomb scare case
Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis made a sensational disclosure on March 5 in Vidhan Sabha when he claimed that Assistant Police officer Sachin Vaze was in touch with Mansukh Hiren, the owner of the Scorpio car that was found laden with explosives outside the Ambani residence. Fadnavis has alleged conspiracy behind the attack against Mukesh Ambani, alleging that it could not be a coincidence that the car was stolen from Thane.
The IO, investigating the case, also lived in Thane. Shortly after his revelation, Mansukh Hiren was found in a creek in Thane. Hiren’s wife had accused Vaze of murdering her husband. The case was transferred to the Anti-Terrorism Squad on March 6, and Vaze was removed from the Mumbai Police Crime Branch after his name surfaced in connection with the matter.
NIA also seized Mercedes, unaccounted cash from Vaze
Earlier this week, the NIA officials had seized a black Mercedes car used by the tainted Mumbai cop from the Crawford market area. The NIA officials had recovered the fake number plate attached to the suspicious Scorpio car from the Mercedes car. In addition to the number plate, the officials also recovered unaccounted cash of Rs 5 lakh, a few clothes and a cash counting machine from the car.
