Breaking: Sachin Waze Declared Approver In Corruption Case Against Anil Deshmukh, Will Depose As Prosecution Witness

The Special judge granted Waze pardon on the condition that there would be true and complete disclosure of facts within his knowledge. It refused an intervention by co-accused and Deshmukh's aide - Kundan Shinde, who was opposing Waze's application.

The court has further directed him to appear on June 7.

Last week itself the Central Bureau of Investigation has consented for the grant of pardon with certain conditions.

In an application filed last week, Waze said he had cooperated with the CBI before and after his arrest, following which his statement was recorded under section 164 of the CrPC. The tainted cop sought pardon under section 306 of the CrPC, to be declared an approver and depose as a witness in the case. The application was filed though advocate Rounak Naik.

CBI had registered the FIR against Deshmukh and others on April 21, 2021 under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and section 120B of the IPC for an attempt to obtain undue advantage for the improper and dishonest performance of public duty.

The agency has accused Deshmukh of corruption in transfers and postings of police officers in Maharashtra. Waze, who was suspended in the early 2000s in a custodial death case, claimed that Deshmukh demanded money to facilitate his reinstatement in the police force on June 6, 2020.

Waze, is presently in custody in three cases. The first case is regarding the discovery of explosives near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence in Mumbai on February 25, 2021 and the subsequent murder of a businessman being investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Nine others are also accused in the case along with him.

The second is the CBI case in which he has sought pardon. CBI's FIR was backed by the Bombay HC order, directing the agency to conduct a Preliminary Enquiry into the Rs. 100 crore corruption allegations against Deshmukh that were levelled by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh in his letter to the Chief Minister on March 20, 2021.

The third is a money laundering case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate against Deshmukh and others. While Waze also sought pardon in the ED case, his application is kept in abeyance.

On Wednesday, Waze requested to be physically produced in court on the next date. His co-accused Anil Deshmukh could not be produced as he was taken for a medical check-up to KEM Hospital. However, the custody of all the four accused, including Deshmukh's aides Sanjeev Suryakant Palande and Kundan Shinde, was extended by another 14 days.