Sachin Waze case: Shiv Sena minister denies extortion claims, says won’t quit

Anil Parab. Pic/Ashish Rane

Transport Minister Anil Parab has denied allegations levelled against him by suspended police officer Sachin Waze. Waze has purportedly told the NIA in a letter that the Shiv Sena minister asked him to extort money from civic contractors facing a probe and from the trust of a community redevelopment project in south Mumbai.

Widely circulated in social media on Wednesday, Waze's letter came as another shocker for the ruling alliance which has lost a minister, Anil Deshmukh to the controversy. In addition to naming Parab, Waze said former home minister Anil Deshmukh demanded Rs 2 crore from him to protect his job against the wishes of his party bosses. He also said that Deshmukh asked him to collect Rs 3-3.5 lakh each from 1,650 bars and restaurants in Mumbai.

Mumbai's ex-police chief Param Bir Singh has levelled a similar charge against Deshmukh. The ex-minister and the state government have moved the Supreme Court against the high court's order for a CBI enquiry into the allegations. The case will be heard on Thursday.

Dismissing the letter as the handiwork of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Parab said the BJP leaders knew in advance that such a letter would come out. "Waze is in NIA's custody. We don't know on what terms he wrote the letter. We don't know whether the letter is real or a forged one," Parab said.

Why should I resign?

Parab said he had no reason to resign from the office. "I swear in the name of late Balasaheb Thackeray and my two daughters that I have nothing to do with all this. It is BJP's ploy to target the CM through me. The BJP leaders have been saying that they will claim another wicket. It means they knew in advance or they managed the letter on their own. They are misusing the central agency to defame the government," he added.

He said Waze didn't complain earlier and no complaint made so far in the matter has mentioned him. Parab added, "I'm ready to face any enquiry. Why should I quit? It is BJP's job to level all kinds of allegations and ask for resignations. If found guilty, my party chief may hang me."