Suspended cop Sachin Vaze on Monday told the state-appointed one member high level probe committee that he was reinstated after nearly 16 years on merits and that he helped the investigating agencies in probing cases even when he was under suspension. The cop even denied getting Rs 30 lakh from the BARC to allegedly target Republic TV channel in the TRP scam case.
Vaze was before the committee headed by Justice (retd.) Kailash Chandiwal, which is probing into the allegations made by former top cop Parambir Singh in a letter, accusing the then home minister Anil Deshmukh of instructing Vaze to extort Rs 100 crore per month from city's bars and restaurants.
On Monday, both Deshmukh and Vaze were present before the commission. The controversial cop was cross-examined by Deshmukh's legal team. He said that the entire past record of a suspended officer is not scrutinized fully and "I believe my merit was considered to reinstate me."
Vaze claimed that even during his suspension years, he aided investigating agencies time to time because of his 'uprightness.'
"I used to help in recording of Panchnama or the statements of the parties in a case and sometimes even finding the accused. I was not directly attached with the commissionerate of Mumbai Police but with the Law and Order department, which comes under the Police commissioner," he said.
Further he was questioned about his role in arresting TV anchor Arnab Goswami. He said that his assistance to Raigad police was extended only on the insistence of Milind Bharambe, the Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime). He further said that he was leading the team from Mumbai's Crime Branch Unit but was not aware as to how many police personnel were assisting him and also the Raigad police. He also claimed that it was on Bharambe's direction that the arrest was made.
Vaze however, denied having any knowledge that the then top cop Parambir Singh ever briefed the media after Goswami's arrest. He even said that he wasn't aware of the controversy that took place after Goswami's arrest.
Later, with regard to the TRP scam, he said that he didn't brief the then commissioner Singh about the probe in the case. "Also, I am not aware of any controversy with regards to the questioning of Goswami's staff for which I had to give any explanation to my superiors," he said, adding, "I and another colleague Sandbhor were appreciated for work in the TRP probe, I do not know if there were any allegations made against me that I took Rs 30 lakh from the BARC to target Republic TV."
Vaze's cross examination will continue on Tuesday morning.
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