SUV bomb scare case: Thackeray kin denies link with Waze

Varun Sardesai, secretary, Yuva Sena; (left) BJP legislator Nitesh Rane

Following allegations that he had links with suspended Mumbai police officer Sachin Waze, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's relative, Varun Sardesai, has threatened to sue the accuser, BJP legislator Nitesh Rane, for criminal defamation. Rane had said the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is probing Waze in the Mukesh Ambani bomb scare case, should question Sardesai as well.

NCP state president Jayant Patil

Rane said on Monday that Waze had threatened people involved in betting to give him huge amounts of protection money or face raids and arrests. He said a Shiv Sena leader from western suburbs was also involved and should be probed. He claimed that he had Call Detail Records (CDR) of conversations between Waze and Sardesai, who is Yuva Sena's secretary.

Prove charges or else: Varun
Responding to Rane later in the day, Sardesai challenged him to prove the charges or face a criminal defamation case. "I chose to respond because the allegations have been made with the purpose of harming my budding political career. Rane will be given seven days to apologise for making a baseless charge and then charged for criminal defamation," he said.

Sardesai said he belongs to a cultured and highly educated family. "The Rane family's history is well-known, especially the gang they had in the beginning. They have been charged with murder, extortion and other serious crimes. Even Devendra Fadnavis had put Rane's criminal activities on record from the opposition benches. People don't believe their statements," he added.

‘Home Minister to stay'
Nationalist Congress Party's state president Jayant Patil said that there was no question of sacking Home Minister Anil Deshmukh because he was not responsible for the developments in Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Waze's case.

Home Minister Anil Deshmukh. File pics

"The home minister is not responsible and he has no connection whatsoever with this case. He gave the legislature the information he had at the point in time," said Patil after party chief Sharad Pawar reviewed the NCP minister's performance in a meeting on Monday.

Earlier during the day, Pawar met CM Thackeray, giving rise to speculations that changes could be made in the government and police department.

However, Patil denied any political change but said that officers or other people would face punitive action if they are found guilty in the probe. He also insisted that Pawar's meeting with the party ministers wasn't deliberate but a scheduled programme that the party boss conducts every three months.

Sachin Waze files pre-arrest bail plea
Police officer Sachin Waze filed a pre-arrest bail application in a court in Thane district on Monday. Waze filed the plea under Section 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) in the Thane district sessions court. Under this section, a person can seek bail if he or she is apprehending arrest in a case. The sessions court posted the plea for hearing on March 19 and directed the investigating officer to file his affidavit in reply. Waze is accused by Vimla Hiran wife of involvement in her husband, Mansukh's suspicious death.