Mumbai, Feb 03: The special MPs and MLA court on Tuesday rejected the plea of dismissed police officer Sachin Waze, seeking to drop the proceedings of money laundering against him and his claim that he was following instructions of former home minister Anil Deshmukh.
Court rejects discharge plea
The money laundering case against Deshmukh and others, including Waze, was registered on the basis of a case lodged by the CBI for alleged corruption. It stated that Waze had collected Rs 4.70 crore from owners of orchestra bars between December 2020 and January 2021. The funds were allegedly handed over to Deshmukh through his personal assistant, Kundan Shinde.
Special Judge Mahesh Jadhav, while rejecting the plea, observed: “A responsible police officer is expected to act within the ambit of the law and not on the instruction of the Home Minister to do illegal activities. He is not a layman.”
‘Extortion cannot be official duty’
“As argued on behalf of the prosecution, he crossed limits. Admittedly, extorting the money involved in the generating of illegal money and to possess illegal money itself amounts to an illegal act, which cannot come within the purview of an official act,” the court said.
Waze claims victimhood
Waze had moved the plea seeking discharge from the proceedings, claiming that he was not the beneficiary of even a single rupee from the money collected from bar owners. He claimed that he was a victim of circumstances and a whistle-blower, and that he had succumbed to pressure from Deshmukh.
Court cites admissions and evidence
The court, however, noted: “The applicant himself admitted that he was vested with the duty of CIU, i.e., Crime Intelligence Unit, and not heading a Social Service Branch, which has control over illegal activities of bars and restaurants. He himself admitted that he became an approver in another case wherein he admits the guilt that he has collected money from the bar owners, he has held meetings of the bar owners, and he handed over the amount to the co-accused, the then Home Minister Anil Deshmukh.”
Also Watch:
“In the case in hand, the applicant is involved in the act of illegal demand, extortion, collection and handling of unlawful money, which are extremely outside the scope of official duty. The statements of witnesses, i.e., the bar owners, the records, as well as admissions given by the applicant in the present application itself, prima facie reflect that the applicant acted for personal gain,” the court said.
It added that whether Waze was a beneficiary or not is a matter to be decided during the trial and not at the interim stage.
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
