The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday responded with a ‘no objection’ before a special court on Thursday on dismissed policeman Sachin Vaze’s application seeking to become a prosecution witness in the money laundering case where he intends to testify against his co-accused and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh among others.
The central agency’s move comes shortly after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had also consented to him being made an approver or prosecution witness in its corruption case in which too, Deshmukh is facing charges.
The ED said in its response that during the course of the investigation Vaze in his statements had revealed various incriminating facts relevant to the case and disclosed the criminal involvement of Deshmukh and other accused. The statements form part of its chargesheets, it said. Vaze’s statements have corroborated on material aspects by oral and documentary evidence collected during its probe, it stated further. The agency said that he is a conspirator and has knowledge of the modus operandi adopted by accused persons and that it has no objection if Vaze's application is permitted on the condition that he makes full disclosure of the facts and circumstances in his knowledge.
In Vaze’s application made through Advocate Raunak Naik before the court seeking to be made an approver in the ED case, he had stated that he had made a similar application before the CBI court which the court allowed. “The subject matter of the predicate offence investigated by the CBI and the present case is absolutely the same and the respondents herein (ED) are comprehensively relying upon my statements,” he had stated. The former policeman had added that his statements had been recorded by the magistrate as per procedure and that the prosecution has mentioned in clear words that they are corroborated with other substantial evidence. He had sought to be granted a tender of pardon and that he was willing to make true and complete disclosure of facts within his knowledge regarding the offence.
In February this year, Vaze had written a letter to the ED from Taloja jail seeking to be made an approver. He had said in the letter that he is willing to make voluntary and truthful disclosure of the facts known to him before a magistrate.
