Horrifying scope of Sachin Vaze & Param Bir's alleged extortions revealed by Mumbai Police

A special court on Monday allowed the Mumbai Police to take custody of sacked ex-API Sachin Vaze for interrogation in a Goregaon extortion case. The case and the involvement of Sachin Vaze came to light when the Mumbai Police's Crime Branch arrested one Sumit, alias Chintu Singh, and one Alpesh Patel. According to the Crime Branch, Alpesh was allegedly collecting money from various businessmen on the orders of none other than Sachin Vaze. 

With his custody granted to the Mumbai Police, Vaze, who has been taken out of Taloja Jail where he was lodged following his arrest in the Antilia bomb scare and Mansukh Hiran death case, will be kept at the Police Commissioner's Office for a marathon grilling till November 6. From his nefarious plans against Republic Media Network to the Antilia Bomb scare, here is a detailed account of the disgraced API's modus operandi and how he allegedly ran his extortion racket over the last two decades. 

Sachin Vaze allegedly continued his extortions during 17-yrs Police exile

A big revelation before the court was when the Mumbai Police disclosed how Sachin Vaze, who was not in the police force for over 17 years, allegedly carried out extortions during his time away. "Even in 17 years when he was not in service, he used to threaten and carry out extortion. He is using health as an excuse to stay away from the investigation" said Special Public Prosecutor Shekhar Jagtap appearing for Mumbai Police.

Subsequently, Jagtap detailed how Sachin Vaze played a vital role in an alleged custodial death case before he was reinstated on the orders of former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh. "He used to indulge in various extortion activities, threaten various businessmen with cases if they did not pay the extortion amount. He even threatened his own colleagues. The NIA case registered against him if also of extortion only," the Mumbai Police shared.

Sachin Vaze's comeback: How Param Bir's role was allegedly crucial

Another pressing observation raised during the hearing was how Sachin Vaze got the role of Head of the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) of the Mumbai Police, a 'very important role' for someone who was suspended for over 17 years. Param Bir Singh was allegedly crucial in bringing back the tainted cop. In fact, Jagtap said that there were 68 audio clips where Sachin Vaze is speaking about money to be extorted for 'Number One'.

"Number one being referred to is then Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh. About 75 percent of what was collected from extortion was shared by Sachin Vaze and Singh. Rest 25 percent used to be distributed among others. We need to find out the money trail. We have one victim now, there is a possibility of more victims in this extortion racket. We need to track them down. There are other transactions also which need to be scrutinised," Jagtap said. 

The prosecutor further argued how Param Bir Singh had disappeared and could not be found in spite of warrants and lookout notices issued for him. "He is not at his known addresses. Sachin Vaze was in touch with him. Param Bir Singh is in India. We need to find out where else Param Bir Singh can be. Reinstatement of Sachin Vaze was done for the monthly extortion by Param Bir Singh," he stressed.

Sachin Vaze planned a 'supercop' comeback

After his reinstatement, following a 17-year-long exile, Vaze was aiming to make a comeback as a 'Supercop' to regain his lost glory. The CBI contended that after he was reinstated into the Mumbai Police in 2020, he had big plans for a comeback.

However, falling back, or rather unable to shake off his old ways, he was sacked shortly after he was brought back when he was accused in the sensational planting of a gelatin sticks-laden SUV near the Ambani home 'Antilia' and the subsequent killing of the vehicle's owner Mansukh Hiran. 

Plot to extort Ambanis via Antilia bomb scare?

The sacked Mumbai cop had allegedly ploughed back extortion incomes to execute a terror threat to top businessman Mukesh Ambani and his family, besides terrorising other corporate honchos to extort money out of them through threats of dire consequences. This and other shocking revelations figure in the National Investigation Agency (NIA) chargesheet against Sachin Vaze and 9 other accused.

The intent was clearly to terrorize wealthy and prosperous individuals and also to extort money by putting them in fear of dire consequences, as per the NIA. "Through extortion, he (Vaze) was collecting huge amount of money, part of which was used for the commission of instant crime. As evident from the threat note placed along with the (20 gelatin sticks) explosives in the vehicle (Scorpio SUV) planted by Vaze himself on Carmichael Road (on February 24) was an act of terror on the part of Vaze," said the NIA chargesheet.

Mansukh Hiren murder: How the 'weak link' in Vaze's plan was eliminated

Later, the ex-cop ordered Hiren's murder as he was proving to be the proverbial 'weak link' in the entire conspiracy. Vaze allegedly forced Hiren to take the blame for planting the SUV with the explosive material, but when he refused to oblige, the cop along with others conspired to eliminate him, sitting right in the middle of the Mumbai Police headquarters compound.

Hiren was allegedly lured and bumped off by hired killers under the guidance of co-accused Pradeep Sharma, and the matter came to light after his body was fished out from the marshes of Thane Creek near Bhiwandi on March 5. Vaze had also asked Hiren to file the missing complaint of his vehicle to use it in the crime, and fake number plates belonging to Nita M. Ambani's security convoy, was allegedly used on the Scorpio SUV. After planting the car near Antilia, Vaze also got the case transferred to the Crime Intelligence Unit which he headed and destroyed incriminating CCTV footage.

The 49-year-old assistant police inspector was ultimately dismissed from service after a CCTV video of him from near the gelatin-laden Scorpio emerged. Clad in a loose white kurta, Vaze's suspicious movements near Antilia allegedly nailed his role in the case. He was arrested for the bomb scare, and the subsequent murder of Thane businessman. 

Nefarious conspiracy against Republic Media Network

Perhaps one of the biggest plots launched by the duo of Param Bir Singh and Sachin Vaze was the nefarious conspiracy against Republic Media Network. Spearheaded by the Commissioner of Police, a press conference was suddenly arranged, keeping Republic reporters at bay at the headquarters of the Mumbai Police. Shortly after, Singh, with Sachin Vaze seated behind him, spun an entire web of lies claiming that a TRP manipulation complaint had been lodged with them where Republic TV and two Marathi channels had been accused of manipulating ratings. 

The desperate attempts to malign the network fell through after inspection revealed that Republic was not mentioned anywhere in the complaint. The same night, Republic Media Network editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami exposed the sinister agenda by showing the entire complaint copy on his 9 PM debate, nowhere mentioning Republic's name. 

Even after Vaze attempted to 'fix' Republic Media Network by storming into Arnab Goswami's house to arrest him with AK 47s, truth prevailed when the Supreme Court granted bail to Arnab and observed that it had been established prima facie that the instrumentality of the State was being weaponized for using the force of criminal law.