Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday granted bail to dismissed police officer Sachin Waze, who has been in jail since March 2021, in an alleged corruption case linked to former state home minister Anil Deshmukh and others.
A bench of Justice MS Sonak and Jitendra Jain granted bail to Waze, after the Union government said it had no objection to him being released on bail. The bench has asked the special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court, which is hearing the case, to decide on the bail condition.
However, Waze will continue to remain behind bars as he is in judicial custody in the Antilia bomb scare case lodged by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
On Tuesday, counsel for Union government Raja Thakare made a statement before the HC that it had no objection if Waze was granted bail. Waze had sent the bail petition hand written from the Taloja central prison. Later, the HC had asked senior advocate Aabad Ponda to appear for Waze.
Waze’s plea by Waze seeking release from prison contending that he had turned approver in the case, and that he was the only one languishing in jail, whereas the other accused were out on bail. Waze has sought release citing provision of Section 306(4). The section deals with granting pardon to an accused, who decides to turn approver and support the prosecution during trial.
Initially, the CBI had opposed his plea saying Waze had not yet deposed in the case and yet it would not be in the best interest of the case to release him on bail. He was declared an approver by the special CBI court in June 2022.
As the central agency had no objection to his release, the HC granted him bail. In 2021, Waze, then an Assistant Police Inspector of Mumbai police was arrested by the National Investigation Agency in relation to the bomb scare at the Ambani house, Antilia and businessman Mansukh Hiran murder case.
The HC, in April 2021, directed the CBI to carry out a preliminary inquiry into allegations of corruption and misuse of official power by Deshmukh made by former police commissioner Param Bir Singh. Based on this inquiry, the CBI registered an FIR against Deshmukh, his aides Sanjeev Palande and Kundan Shinde; and also Waze.
Singh had alleged that Deshmukh, who was then a home minister, had directed police personnel to collect Rs 100 crore per month from restaurants and bars in the metropolis. He also alleged that Waze, who was suspended earlier after being an accused in a fake encounter case, was reinstated and was allegedly collecting money on behalf of Deshmukh. Deshmukh, Palande and Shinde are out on bail.
