Anil Deshmukh, Anil Parab asked me to extort money: Sachin Vaze

He also claimed that a person close to deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar also approached him, asking him to extort money

In what may cause more troubles for the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government, controversial police officer Sachin Vaze has claimed that former home minister Anil Deshmukh and parliamentary affairs and transport minister Anil Parab were asking him to extort money.

Besides, he also claimed that a person close to deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, the nephew of NCP supremo and MVA's chief architect Sharad Pawar, also approached him, asking him to extort money.

While Deshmukh is a loyalist of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, Parab is a close aide of Maharashtra chief minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray.

Read | Sachin Vaze directly reported to Param Bir Singh: Report

Vaze mentioned this in a four-page letter that he submitted before the special NIA court in Mumbai.

Vaze claimed that Deshmukh had asked Rs 2 crore from him with assurance that he will convince Sharad Pawar to allow Sachin Vaze back into the force. "The home minister told me that he will convince Pawar saheb and for that purpose, he asked me to pay Rs 2 crore. I had expressed my inability to pay such an amount. On this the home minister asked me to pay it in a later course," Sachin Vaze wrote.

He claimed that Deshmukh had called him to the Sahyadri Guest House in October 2020 and asked him to collect money from 1,650 bars and restaurants in Mumbai, Rs 3 to 3.5 lakh from each of them per month.

Read | Param Bir Singh, Pradeep Sharma record statement before NIA

Vaze has claimed that Parab him once again in January 2021 and asked him to look into an inquiry against some contractors listed in the BMC and collect Rs 2 crore each from them.

In July-August, 2020, Vaze claimed Parab had called him to his official bungalow and look into a complaint concerning the Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust (SBUT), bring the SBUT trustees to him for negotiations on the enquiry.

“He also insisted to initiate primary talks to get Rs.50 crore from the SBUT in order to close the said enquiry. I had expressed my inability to do any such things as I do not know anyone from the SBUT and also I did not have any control over the enquiry,” Vaze contended in his statement.

Making allegations of corruption against junior Pawar, the letter says in November 2020, he was approached by one Darshan Ghodawat, who was very close to Pawar.

“He explained about illegal gutka and tobacco trade in Maharashtra and gave me phone numbers. The said Godhawat insisted that I should collect a monthly amount of Rs 100 crore from these illegal gutka sellers. I denied to do such an illegal act and the person warned me that I may lose my post again,” he said.

The letter went on to state that since the first day of 2021 he started all out efforts against illegal gutka sellers and crores-worth illegal gutka was seized and action was initiated against the owners of factories too.

Reacting to the development, state BJP president Chandrakant Patil said: “Will we again have to wait for court orders before Anil Parab resigns.” It may be recalled that just a few hours back, Patil has claimed that the “third wicket” will fall soon.

Meanwhile, Parab has denied the allegations. "I swear by my two daughters, Balasaheb Thackeray....that these allegations are false and baseless," he said. "The BJP has been claiming that it would take the third wicket...perhaps they were aware that Sachin Vaze is going to submit a letter," he said.