Minister Anil Deshmukh asked Waze to collect Rs 100 crore every month: Param Bir Singh writes to Maharashtra CM

Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh on Saturday wrote to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray alleging that Home Minister Anil Deshmukh had indulged in "malpractices" and asked suspended API Sachin Waze to collect Rs 100 crore every month.

Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh on Saturday wrote to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray alleging that Home Minister l Deshmukh had indulged in "malpractices" and asked suspended API Sachin Waze to collect Rs 100 crore every month.

The allegations were made a day after Deshmukh had said that Param Bir Singh was moved out as Mumbai Police Commissioner so that cases pertaining to Waze were probed without obstruction.

In the letter, Param Bir Singh, who has now been posted as Commandant General of Home Guards, said that he has been "made a scapegoat to divert attention from the actual wrongdoers".

In the eight-page letter, Singh has complained of "political interference" by Deshmukh.

He said the case about a car with explosives having been found near Antilia, the residence of industrialist Mukesh Amb, was being investigated by the ATS and the NIA and all his officers rendered "all necessary assistance for a free and fair investigation".

Singh said that at one of the briefing sessions in the wake of the Antilia incident in mid-March 2021, he had told Thackeray about "several misdeeds and malpractices being indulged into by the Home Minister".

He said he had also briefed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and other senior ministers also about "the misdeeds and malpractices".

"On my briefings, I noticed that some of the Ministers were already aware about some aspects mentioned by me to them," Singh said.

He alleged that Sachin Vaze, who was heading the Crime Intelligence Unit of the Crime Branch of the Mumbai Police, was called by Deshmukh to his official residence several times in the last few months and "repeatedly instructed to assist in the collection of funds".

"In and around mid-February and thereafter, the Home Minister had called Vaze to his official residence. At that time, one or two staff members of the Home Minister including his personal secretary Palande, were also present. The Home Minister expressed to Vaze that he had a target to accumulate Rs 100 crores a month. For achieving the target, the Home Minster told Vaze that there are about 1,750 bars, restaurants and other establishments in Mumbai and if a sum of Rs. 2-3 lakhs each was collected from each of them, a monthly collection of Rs. 40-50 crores was achievable," the letter said.

"The Home Minister added that the rest of the collection could be made from other sources. Vaze came to my office the same day and informed me of the above. I was shocked with the above discussion and was mulling over how to deal with the situation," it added.

In the context of his allegations, Singh mentioned another meeting called by Deshmukh and referred to some purported conversations between him and Sanjay Patil, ACP, Social Service Branch, who had "attended" the meeting.

"After the meeting of Vaze with Home Minister, he had discussed the instructions of the Home Minister with Patil and both of them had approached me with their predicaments," the letter said.

"The Home Minister has as a regular practice been repeatedly calling my officers and giving them instructions in respect of the course to be followed by them in performance of their official duties," he alleged.

The letter also referred to the case death case of Mohan Delkar, Member of Parliament from Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and said Home Minister desired a case of abetment of suicide to be registered at Mumbai.

Singh said his professional view was that abetment of suicide, if any, was required to be investigated by the Police at Dadra and Nagar Haveli who would have jurisdiction in that regard.

He said despite being fully aware of the opinion of the legal experts, Deshmukh announced the setting up of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and registration of an FIR into the alleged case of abetment of suicide of Delkar in Maharashtra assembly on March 9.

Singh said Home Minister has found "his reservations and resistance undesirable".

"I may humbly submit that I take full responsibility of my police force. However, the instances of interference make it clear that the responsibility of wrongdoings may lie somewhere else - at the door of the wrongdoers."

Singh said there is "no iota of material or evidence, far from proof" found against him or even imputed against him.

"The call records and phone data of Sachin Vaze be examined to ascertain the truth of the allegations qua me and for the truth to emerge insofar as his association with political functionaries is concerned."

Singh said he believed that the reason for the transfer noted by the government in his file was "to ensure a free and fair investigation in the Antilia incident".

The letter also referred to an interview of Deshmukh in which he had talked of "serious lapses committed" by Singh's office, by the Mumbai Police and by Singh in the probe relating to the Antilia incident.

He said that remarks of Deshmukh pertaining to his transfer were "contrary to the record and seem to be for extraneous and vindictive reasons".

Waze, Assistant Police Inspector in the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU), who was transferred to the Citizen Facilitation Centre at Mumbai Police Headquarters after his name came up in Mansukh Hiren death case, has been sent to NIA custody till March 25, in connection with his alleged role and involvement in placing an explosives-laden vehicle.

( With inputs from ANI )