Dismissed cop Sachin Waze seeks bail in money laundering case

This was Waze's second application for bail under section 88 of the CrPc. Waze has been remanded to judicial custody at a post-cognizance stage and not arrested under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Mumbai: Dismissed Mumbai Police officer Sachin Waze on Tuesday filed a bail application before a special court here in a money laundering case linked to former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh. This was Waze's second application for bail under section 88 of the CrPc where the applicant is remanded to judicial custody at a post-cognizance stage and not arrested under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Waze has not been arrested under the provisions of PMLA thus the rigour of the Act will not be attracted to the Applicant, his bail plea said. It stated the court has granted bail to the accused in matters where they have not been arrested during the stage of investigation and requested the court to grant bail to Waze. Special court judge R N Rokade after hearing brief arguments from both sides adjourned the matter for order on November 18.

The Bombay High Court on October 4 granted bail to Anil Deshmukh in a money laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate. He was arrested by ED last November. The ED's case is that Deshmukh had collected Rs 4.70 crore from various bars and restaurants in Mumbai through then Assistant Police Inspector Waze when he was the home minister. The money was allegedly laundered and routed to the Nagpur-based educational trust controlled by the Deshmukh family, the ED has claimed.

Deshmukh is lodged in Arthur Road jail in Mumbai. Waze is also a key accused in the Antilia bomb scare and Mansukh Hiran murder cases in which he was arrested in March 2021 by the National Investigation Agency. He was subsequently dismissed from service. (PTI)