Fadnavis using Vaze for his own political gain: Anil Deshmukh
Deshmukh said that the allegations made against him by Vaze were also levelled by Param Bir Singh three years ago, and both had happened on Fadnavis’s instigation
NAGPUR: The war of words between former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis escalated on Sunday, as Deshmukh accused Fadnavis of exploiting Sachin Vaze, a former policeman allegedly involved in terrorist activities, for his own political gain ahead of the assembly elections.
In response to a letter from Vaze to Fadnavis, who also holds the home portfolio, Deshmukh alleged that Fadnavis had previously used former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh against him and was now employing Vaze for the same self-serving political ends.
Vaze, a dismissed Mumbai assistant police inspector, who is also an accused in a ₹100-crore extortion case, had claimed on Friday that he had written a letter to Fadnavis, submitting evidence of the alleged bribes taken by Deshmukh. “There is proof of whatever has happened,” he said. “The money went through Deshmukh’s PA; the CBI has the evidence. I have also written to Devendra Fadnavis and submitted all the evidence, including mentioning NCP (SP) state president Jayant Patil’s involvement.” Vaze added that he was ready for a narco test in this regard.
Speaking to the media, Fadnavis stated that he was unaware of the letter’s contents and called for a comprehensive investigation. While he refrained from directly addressing Deshmukh’s allegations, Fadnavis indicated that he would withhold further comments until he had personally reviewed the letter.
Deshmukh said that the allegations made against him by Vaze were also levelled by Param Bir Singh three years ago, and both had happened on Fadnavis’s instigation. The senior NCP (SP) leader pointed out that the Bombay high court, while granting him bail, had clearly stated that Vaze could not be trusted due to his criminal background. “During the cross-examination by my counsel in Justice Chandiwal’s court, Vaze clarified that neither I nor any of my personal assistants or office staff asked for money and neither did I give any,” said Deshmukh, adding, “If Devendra Fadnavis has the courage, he should make public the Justice Chandiwal report submitted to the government.”
The former home minister said that when he was accused three years earlier, he had asked the then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to investigate the allegations. “He assigned the task to Justice Chandiwal,” he said. “Justice Chandiwal conducted a detailed inquiry over 11 months, producing a 1,400-page report. The report was handed over to the government two years ago. I have been given a clean chit in that report. Because of this, Devendra Fadnavis is not making the report public. I urge him to release it.”
Deshmukh added that Justice Chandiwal’s court had also summoned former police commissioner Paramvir Singh, who failed to appear even after he was sent summons six times. Eventually, after an arrest warrant was issued against him, Singh submitted an affidavit through a lawyer, stating that he had accused Anil Deshmukh based on anecdotal information and possessed no evidence.
“For the past two years, the state government has not made that report available to the public,” said Deshmukh. “Yesterday, Devendra Fadnavis again used Vaze to level allegations against me. Everyone knows that Vaze is an accused in a terrorism case and two murder cases. He is in jail, yet Fadnavis relies on him to make allegations against me. It is surprising.”
Vaze is an accused in the Mansukh Hirani murder case and the prime accused in the 2021 Antilia bomb scare, in which an explosives-laden vehicle was planted near Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani’s Mumbai house, Antilia, in February 2021. The NIA arrested Vaze in connection with the case in March 2021.