A local court in Mumbai on Wednesday granted pardon to dismissed police officer Sachin Vaze and allowed him to turn approver against former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, in a corruption case.
Special CBI Judge DP Shingade gave his nod to Vaze’s application with following conditions:
- Waze will have to make full and honest disclosure of facts known to him in relation to the offence;
- He has to correctly and truthfully answer questions put to him during the trial by the special public prosecutor.
After Vaze agreed to the conditions, the Special CBI court permitted him to turn approver in the case.
Aa per the order, Waze will no longer be an accused in the case and will not be charged by the CBI, which is expected to file the charge sheet tomorrow.
From now onwards, Waze will be considered as a prosecution witness, whose testimony can be used against his co-accused, including Deshmukh, noted the Court.
In the application filed by his lawyer Rounak Naik, Waze alleged that it was on Deshmukh’s instructions that he had collected bribes from restaurants and bar owners.
The National Investigation Agency had arrested Vaze in March in connection with the murder of one Mansukh Hiren.
NIA alleged that he planted explosives in a vehicle owned by Hiren and parked it near the residence of Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani on February 25.
Hiren was subsequently found dead.
Deshmukh is also behind bars currently. He was arrested on November 1, in connection with extortion and money laundering allegations levelled against him by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh.