CM and son asked me to bring back Waze: Param Bir

Suspended IPS officer and former commissioner of Mumbai police, Param Bir Singh, has dropped another bombshell on the MVA government, stating that he was directed by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and his son, Cabinet Minister Aaditya Thackeray, to reinstate dismissed API Sachin Waze. The revelation has come in Singh's statement to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), in connection with the money laundering case, in which former home minister Anil Deshmukh was arrested by the agency. Singh also broke his silence on being called number 1 by Waze and said that Deshmukh was Waze's number 1 and the Mumbai CP is always referred to as King. The ED recently filed a charge sheet in the Anil Deshmukh money laundering case which also contains the explosive 8-pages statement of Singh.

Singh was asked to explain his role in the reinstatement of API Waze. Singh has said, "I state that Sachin Waze was reinstated in the month of June, 2020 after a meeting where all the cases of suspension are reviewed by a committee headed by the CP, Mumbai, some Joint CPs and other senior officers. The reasons for Waze's reinstatement are on the file of the review committee. However, I would like to state that there was direct pressure from Home Minister Anil Deshmukh for his reinstatement. I also got direct instructions from Aaditya Thackeray and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. I got similar instructions for his posting to the Crime Branch of Mumbai police and also to give him charge of an important unit there. Some important cases were assigned to the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) which was headed by Waze on the instructions of the CM and Home Minister. He was being directly called by both for briefing and instructions for further action. I would further like to add that Waze had also told me that for his reinstatement and posting, Deshmukh had made a demand of Rs 2 crore."

Mumbai CP is King not Number 1

There were multiple statements of hoteliers claiming Waze used to call Singh Number 1, while extorting money from them. The Mumbai Crime Branch, in one of the charge sheets filed against Singh, has mentioned these statements of hoteliers and police officers confirming that Waze used to call Singh Number 1. However, the ED charge sheet says that Deshmukh was Waze's Number 1 and Singh has also made similar statements before the agency. "Sachin Waze, during discussions, used to refer to Anil Deshmukh as "No.1". The Commissioner of Police is never called/ referred to as No.1 by anyone. Normally the commissioner of police is known as King," Singh's statement reads.

Param Bir Singh has revealed that former home minister Anil Deshmukh (right) was Sachin Waze's (left) number 1 and the Mumbai CP is always referred to as King. File pics

State government doesn't follow transfer rules

The former CP has also alleged that the Maharashtra government is violating the Supreme Court's orders, when it comes to the transfer posting of senior officers. Singh was also questioned about the transfers of 10 DCPs in July 2020 during his tenure as Commissioner of Police when the transfer orders were reversed within few days. The top cop has told ED, "In one of the posting orders in July, 2020, I had issued transfer orders of about 10 DCPs in Mumbai City following the due process of meeting of PEB (Police Establishment Board) without taking instructions from any of the political parties. However, I got a WhatsApp message from the then ACS, Home, Sitaram Kunte, two days after the officers had taken charge as per the transfer and posting order, saying the CM has directed that status quo ante be maintained and the posting orders be cancelled. I had to issue the necessary cancellation orders the next day and this WhatsApp message is available on the concerned transfer file in the office of the CP, Mumbai."

"This was a blatantly illegal act and in total violation of the guidelines of the Supreme Court. Thereafter, I had to sit with Anil Deshmukh and Anil Parab to finalise the new transfer list and the new transfer order was issued by the PEB to show that due process had been followed. This was widely covered in the press at that time. This was also a clear message to all senior officers in the state to fall in line. I had heard that there were huge considerations paid to Anil Deshmukh through some intermediaries for favourable transfer and postings," Singh has further added.

‘Waze being strip searched and abused'

Singh has also alleged that Deshmukh met Waze during the Chandiwal Commission hearing on November 30 last year and pleaded with him to withdraw his statement given to the Enforcement Directorate. "I have also learned that Waze is being pressured in jail and being strip searched and abused on a daily basis for the same. I have also learned that Laxmikant Patil, DCP Crime, Thane had been meeting Waze while he was in custody of the Mumbai police and had also met him in Chandiwal Commission inquiries to pressure and cajole him," concludes Singh's statement.