The Mumbai crime branch took custody of dismissed police officer API Sachin Waze in connection with an extortion case on Monday. Earlier on Friday, the special court has allowed the Mumbai crime branch to take Waze's custody in the case.
Waze has been lodged in Taloja jail since his arrest in the Antilia bomb scare case and subsequent murder of Thane businessman Mansukh Hiran. Around 11.30 on Monday a team from crime branch unit 11 took Waze into their custody he was later taken to Esplanade court where the crime branch will seek his further custody for interrogation.
Former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh is also an accused in the case, on Saturday the court has issued a non-bailable warrant against Singh and two other accused in the case after they failed to appear before the crime branch after repeated summons. So far two persons have been arrested in the case.
While seeking Waze's custody the crime branch said that Waze's custody was necessary for further probe. Before granting Waze's custody the court first called for his health report since Waze recently underwent bypass surgery. Waze's lawyer however opposed his custody demand sitting health reasons.
The extortion case was registered at the Goregaon police station on the complaint of hotelier Binal Agarawal who alleged that the accused had extorted ₹ 9 lakh and two high-end mobile phones for not raiding two bars and restaurants in January 2020 and March 2021. The case was later transferred to the Mumbai crime branch.
