The National Investigating Agency (NIA) has revealed that suspended Mumbai Police Sachin Waze was operating his alleged extortion racket from a five-star hotel room.
This hotel room was sold by a businessman for 100 days for Rs. Booked in 1.2 million.
Allegedly, Waze was arrested in connection with the Mukesh Ambani bomb threat case – used a fake identity to investigate the property.
According to NDTV, the hotel was operating from room number 1964 at Wedge Nariman Point.
An NIA official said that he had stayed there in February after conducting an investigation under the alias Sushant Sadashiv Khamkar, using a fake Aadhaar card.
The businessman who booked the room through a travel agent was being helped by Wage in a dispute.
Vehicle: Waze enters Lande Cruiser at Innova Hotel
Wedge allegedly entered the hotel on February 16 in a Toyota Innova. He then boarded the Toyota Land Cruiser on 20 February. Both vehicles were later seized by the NIA.
“The dates also coincide with those when he and his team members were raiding various establishments in Mumbai at night for license violations,” said a senior NIA official.
The NIA has also conducted searches at another hotel and a club in South Mumbai. A flat in neighboring Thane was also searched on Thursday. Meanwhile, the NIA has seized CCTV footage of the hotel where Wedge stayed to see that everyone met him.
On February 25, the NIA is investigating an explosive-laden SUV (Mahindra Scorpio) parked near Antilia, the Mumbai home of industrialist Mukesh Ambani, with a threatening letter.
It is also investigating the death of Thane businessman Mansukh Hiren, who reported the vehicle missing a week ago.
Allegedly, the NIA has also interrogated other police officers in connection with Waze’s cases.
Officials told NDTV that some of these police could also be arrested in the near future.
The NIA on Thursday also detained Wedge’s female colleague from Mumbai Airport.
A flat in Meera Road area of Thane which was discovered was allegedly owned by the woman.
“We have recorded some statements. The rest, we have spoken orally,” an NIA official told NDTV. The investigating agency has questioned 35 officers up to the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP).
A senior official said, “The senior police officers were very aware of what kind of business Waze is doing. We have enough evidence to prove it.”
Another official told the publication, “He (Waze) was doing many deals for many influential people, but as we are not the agency to look into anti-corruption cases, we will give evidence to the agencies concerned.”