‘Encounter specialist’ Sachin Vaze transferred to Citizen Facilitation Centre unit amid controversy

Mumbai crime branch’s Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Vaze, who has been facing heat in the death case of Mansukh Hiran, was transferred to the Citizen Facilitation Centre (CFC) unit of the city police, a top official said on Friday.

The CFC is the unit that handles police clearance for passports, various licences and other public related services, another official said.

Vaze is facing allegations in connection with the suspicious death of Thane trader Mansukh Hiran after a Mahindra Scorpio in Hiran’s possession was found parked near the residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani on February 25 with 20 loose gelatin sticks and a threatening letter.

The CFC is the unit that handles police clearance for passports, various licenses, and other public related services, another official said.

On February 25, a Scorpio was found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s house in south Mumbai with explosives and a threat letter inside. Hiran, who was in possession of the SUV, had claimed that it had been stolen a week earlier, but the case got murky when he was found dead in a creek in Thane on March 5.

Three days later, Hiran’s wife, Vimla (43), gave a statement to the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad investigating team that she was certain Hiran had been murdered, and she suspected Vaze had a hand in it. Her statement revealed that Hiran knew Vaze well, and that he had lent him the Scorpio in question in November. Vaze returned the car on February 5.

Home Minister Anil Deshmukh had on Wednesday announced in the state Legislative Council the removal of Vaze from the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) till the inquiry into the mysterious death of Hiran, an automobile parts dealer gets over.