Mumbai: Justice Bharati Dangre of the Bombay High Court recused herself from hearing the plea by dismissed cop Sachin Waze, who has been in jail since March 2022 in an alleged corruption case linked to former state home minister Anil Deshmukh and others. Waze had sent the bail petition handwritten from the Taloja central prison.
Bombay HC Judge Recuses Herself From Hearing Dismissed Cop Sachin Waze's Plea
A bench of Justices Dangre and Manjusha Deshpande had closed the matter for orders on August 14, which was to be passed on Tuesday. However, when the matter was called out, she said she had recused herself from hearing matters related to former home minister Anil Deshmukh and did not realise that Waze’s matter was related to that case.
“In Anil Deshmukh’s matter, I said not before me. I didn’t realise it was the same matter. Not to place before the bench of Bharati Dangre,” the judge said while requesting to place the plea before the Chief Justice who would assign it to another bench.
The petition will now be placed for hearing before another division bench.
Waze’s counsel Aabad Ponda said he too did not realise the situation when he argued
About The Plea Bombay HC Was Hearing
HC was hearing a 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 a 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.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (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.
Why Was The Then Assistant Police Inspector Of Mumbai Police, Sachin Waze Arrested?
In 2001, 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.
