SUV OWNER DEATH CASE: MUMBAI COP REMOVED FROM CRIME BRANCH

Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Wednesday said that controversial police officer Sachin Vaze will be removed from the Crime Branch and posted to some other department.

Speaking in the Vidhan Sabha, Deshmukh said the move was taken so that an impartial investigation could be done in the Mansukh Hiren death case. Meanwhile, BJP members shouted slogans as the home minister announced the transfer of Sachin Vaze from the Crime Branch and demanded his suspension and arrest. Amid the ruckus, proceedings of the Maharashtra Legislative Council were adjourned till 12 noon.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis also moved a motion of breach of privilege against Anil Deshmukh. “As demanded by Opposition yesterday, Sachin Vaze is being removed from CIU and will be transferred to other department,” said senior Cabinet minister Eknath Shinde.

A car carrying unassembled explosive materials was found abandoned at Carmichael Road in South Mumbai on February 25, near the house of Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani. The owner of the vehicle, Mansukh Hiren, was found dead in a creek in the Thane district on Friday.

Now, ATS Maharashtra is investigating the case. Sachin Vaze’s name has been embroiled in the Mansukh Hiren death case. The move to transfer Sachin Vaze to a different department was taken days after Fadnavis read a statement given by Vimla Hiren, the wife of Mansukh Hiren, in the Maharashtra Assembly. In the statement, she had suspected that Mumbai Police Crime Branch officer and “encounter specialist” Sachin Vaze had killed her husband.

She alleged that Sachin Vaze had used the Scorpio car for several months, from November 2020 till February 5. She also added that Vaze had told her husband to get arrested in the case, and had assured him that he will be bailed out in a few days. Vimla Hiren mentioned in her statement that she suspects that Sachin Vaze was involved in the murder of her husband.