Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil on Tuesday ordered an inquiry into a “secret meeting” between former Mumbai Police chief Param Bir Singh and dismissed Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Vaze, reported PTI.
The two reportedly had a meeting on Monday when Singh appeared before the Chandiwal Commission. The commission is investigating Singh’s corruption allegations against former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh.
Singh and Vaze are co-accused in an extortion case related to the allegations against Deshmukh.
“Vaze is in judicial custody and as per the rules he is not supposed to meet anyone,” Patil told reporters on Tuesday. “I have instructed Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale to probe the matter.”
The home minister added that meetings with Vaze are subject to permission from the court. “But it seems he [Singh] has not obtained any such permission to meet Vaze.”
The meeting between Singh and Vaze reportedly took place in an adjoining room on the second floor of a building that houses Singh’s office.
Singh had appeared for questioning before the Chandiwal Commission. Vaze too, was brought there for cross-examination.
In March, Singh had alleged that former Home Minister Deshmukh had asked Vaze to collect Rs 100 crore every month through illegal channels. The Maharashtra government had appointed the Chandiwal Commission to look into the allegations.
Singh and Vaze reportedly spoke to each other for over 30 minutes on Monday. Later, when Deshmukh’s lawyer raised the matter with the commission, the judge asked Vaze to henceforth sit in the same room as the commission.
On Monday, four policemen had escorted Vaze from Taloja Jail in Navi Mumbai to Old Secretariat Building Annex in Fort. The Mumbai Police will conduct an inquiry into the meeting and submit its report to the Navi Mumbai Police for further action against the four policemen, according to The Indian Express.
“We had appointed an assistant commissioner of police to conduct the inquiry,” Mumbai Zone 1 Deputy Commissioner of Police Hari Balaji told the newspaper. “However, later the decision to transfer the inquiry to the Navi Mumbai police commissioner was taken as the four policemen are posted in that jurisdiction.”
Patil also alleged that Singh used a government vehicle. “He is not even on duty and facing very serious charges,” said the home minister. “This matter will be probed as well.”
Vaze has been in the custody of the crime branch of Mumbai Police crime branch since November 1. The crime branch is investigating an extortion case against Vaze filed in Mumbai’s Goregaon police station based on a complaint by developer Bimal Agarwal.
Vaze also is one of the 14 accused persons in the Mukesh Ambani bomb scare case.
A sports utility vehicle with 20 gelatin sticks was found on February 25 near the industrialist’s home in Mumbai. The police had said that the car was stolen from the city’s Airoli-Mulund Bridge on February 18. The car’s owner, Mansukh Hiren, an auto parts dealer, was found dead on March 5 in Kalwa creek.
On March 13, the National Investigation Agency took over the case from the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad and arrested Mumbai Police officer Sachin Waze for his alleged links with Hiren.
In the chargesheet filed before a special court in Mumbai, the NIA said Vaze was involved in the conspiracy to regain his lost reputation.
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