Waze now seeks to turn approver in money laundering case involving ex-Maha minister Deshmukh

Dismissed police officer Sachin Waze on Thursday moved a plea before a special court here seeking to turn approver and receive pardon in the money laundering case against him and others, including former state home minister Anil Deshmukh.

The former policeman's petition came days after a special CBI court allowed his plea to turn an approver in a corruption case, also involving Deshmukh, being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Waze was arrested in March last year for his alleged role in the case of an explosives-laden vehicle found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence in south Mumbai and the murder of Thane businessman Mansukh Hiran. Waze is currently in judicial custody.

In the latest plea, moved through his advocate Arti Kalkar, Waze said he wants to disclose all the facts pertaining to the case and has always cooperated with the probe agency.

Special judge R N Rokade, presiding over the case, has asked the special public prosecutor (ED) and the investigating officer of the case to file their replies. The matter was adjourned till June 23. Earlier in February, Waze had written to Tassin Sultan, Assistant Director, ED, saying he was willing to make truthful and voluntary disclosure of entire facts known to him regarding the matter before a competent magistrate.

The ED's case is that while serving as state home minister, Deshmukh, through then-assistant police inspector Waze (who was dismissed from service after arrest in the 'Antilia' bomb scare case last year), collected Rs 4.70 crore from various bars and restaurants in Mumbai.

The money was then laundered and routed to the Nagpur-based Shri Sai Shikshan Sansthan, an educational trust controlled by Deshmukh's family, the ED has claimed.