Anil Deshmukh, aides did not order extortion, says Sachin Vaze

Appearing before the Justice Kailash Uttamchand Chandiwal Commission on Tuesday, Vaze said that there was no demand from Deshmukh or his aides to collect money, during his cross-examination by Deshmukh’s lawyer Girish Kulkarni. “There was no demand from any official,” Vaze said when Kulkarni asked whether Deshmukh or any other official had asked for money. When asked if Deshmukh or anyone from his office ordered him to collect money from bars or bar owners, Vaze said, “I don’t remember.”

Vaze said that he had never collected money from bar owners or restaurants to be handed over to Kundan Shinde, an aide of Deshmukh. Vaze also said he had not seen any interference from the home department in cases he probed. Vaze’s testimony contradicted his statement to the Enforcement Directorate that he handed over ₹4.7 crore extortion money to Deshmukh’s aides.

After being shunted out as Mumbai police commissioner, Parambir Singh had alleged in a letter that Deshmukh had set ₹100 crore as extortion target. Singh also alleged Deshmukh and his office controlled various sensitive cases investigated by the Mumbai Police. Deshmukh quit as home minister following Singh’s allegation. He is currently in judicial custody after the ED filed a case of money laundering based on Singh’s allegations. Singh, on the other hand, absconded for several months and surfaced recently only after the Supreme Court gave him protection from arrest by the state police.

Maharashtra skill development minister Nawab Malik said Parambir Singh’s allegations against Deshmukh had no substance. He alleged they were levelled as ‘part of a deal between Singh and the BJP’ to defame the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. Malik alleged that the NIA probing the explosives found near home of industrialist Mukesh Ambani has been trying to shield Singh despite his role in the episode.