Waze was `high- performing, obedient’ officer, ACP tells Chandiwal Commission

An ACP-rank officer, named by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh in his letter accusing then Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh of corruption, told an inquiry commission here on Wednesday that Sachin Waze was an ”obedient” and ”high-performing” officer.

Singh, in his letter to the Maharashtra Chief Minister, had claimed that Assistant Commissioner of Police Sanjay Patil was one of the officers whom Deshmukh had asked to collect money from bars and restaurants.

Testifying before the Justice (retd) K U Chandiwal commission which is probing these allegations, ACP Patil also said he had not come across any adverse remark about Waze from his superiors. Patil also denied any knowledge of a meeting called by Waze or any other subordinate police officers under him to discuss the alleged extortion demand made by Deshmukh. Patil made these statements during cross examination by Waze.

There was a WhatsApp group of Mumbai crime branch officers, and everybody above the rank of unit in-charge were its members, he said.

”Good work such as raids on hookah parlours and pubs was discussed in such groups, and efforts of the concerned officers were appreciated,” ACP Patil said. But superior officials also made adverse remarks some times for poor performance or misconduct, he added.

”Between October 2020 and March 2021, I had noticed good work of officers of the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU), including that of CIU officer Sachin Waze. Comments of appreciation were also made for Sachin Waze (on the WhatsApp group),” Patil said. ”I did not notice any adverse remarks to (made in respect of) Sachin Waze. It can be said that Sachin Waze is a high- performing and obedient officer as recorded in the WhatsApp group,” he added.

On Tuesday, during his cross-examination by lawyers of Deshmukh and the NCP leader’s then personal secretary Sanjeev Palande, Patil had said he had not received any instructions from Deshmukh for ”collection of hafta (protection money)”.

On WhatsApp chats made public by Param Bir Singh where Patil allegedly told Singh about a meeting with ”HM sir” (Deshmukh) wherein such collection of money was discussed, the ACP had said he had replied to Singh’s messages under duress. In his letter written to CM Uddhav Thackeray in March 2021, Singh had alleged that Deshmukh had asked DCP Raju Bhujbal, ACP Sanjay Patil and Assistant Police Inspector (now dismissed) Sachin Waze to collect Rs 100 crore each month from businesses such as pubs and hookah parlours in Mumbai.

Deshmukh, who denied the allegations, resigned and is facing probe by the CBI. Waze is the prime accused in the case of SUV with explosives found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s house here in February 2021 and subsequent murder of businessman Mansukh Hiran.