The Real Climax of ‘AB Tak Chhappan’: Sachin Vaze, Cases and Links.




Nana Patekar’s ‘Ab Tak Chhappan’ part 1 was released in 2004 which explained the encounter specialists in the Mumbai Police force. One of those specialists, and currently most debated police officer Sachin Vaze was arrested by NIA (National Investigation Agency) after the Antilla bomb scare on 25th February. As per several reports, 20 gelatin sticks were found outside Antilla (House of Mukesh Ambani). The death of Mansukh Hiren only after the Antilla bomb scare took the Indian media to look at some old factors that happened in Mumbai. 

Who is Sachin Vaze?

Sachin Vaze joined the State Police Force as a sub-inspector in 1990 and was posted in a Naxalite area of Gadchiroli. Within a few years, he climbed the ladder of success and reached the Intelligence Unit of Maharashtra Police. Killer of 63 people, along with Daya Nayak, he was called as an encounter specialist. 

Links with Ghatkopar Blast

The Ghatkopar Blast happened in 2002 when a Dubai-based 27 years old engineer, Khwaja Yunus was killed by 3 encounter specialists (2004). Eventually, K. Yunus visited his family in Mumbai on a holiday where he was arrested on 25th December 2002 and was seen alive for the last time on 6th January 2003. 

Along with Yunus, another suspected man later described police torturing him (Yunus) to death while he started vomiting blood. As per the report given by the Mumbai Police, “K. Yunus tried to escape when he was taken to Aurangabad for further investigation. The police vehicle had fallen into a gorge when Yunus tried escaping”. Not much surprisingly, Sachin Vaze was holding control over the entire case.

 However, the death of Yunus led Mumbai CID to take over the case, and they arrested Vaze along with 3 other constables on charges of murder and destruction of the shreds of evidence. Later Yunus’ family claimed the involvement of 7 more police officials behind their son’s death which was rejected by The Mumbai High Court. Those 3 arrested constables received bails in 2004. 

In April 2018, the Shiv Sena government ordered the removal of the public prosecutor Dhiraj Mirajkar who was fighting the case on behalf of Khwaja Yunus’ family. 


A ‘Friendly’ Connection between Shiv Sena Government and Sachin Vaze

Sachin Vaze joined Shiv Sena on 2nd December 2008 after being suspended in 2004. At the last of these 4 years, he tried to resign from the police force but his resignation letter had not been accepted by the state government. Sachin Vaze was in charge of Thane jurisdiction where the local Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde helped him to join the party. 

As per reports, neither Vaze remained an active member of the party nor resigned from Shiv Sena. Alongside, internal sources told a leading media house regarding Balasaheb Thackrey’s closeness to Pradeep Sharma, Praful Bhosale, Daya Nayak, and Vijay Salaskar who were Mumbai’s famous encounter specialists. In June 2020, Vaze joined again the Mumbai Police Force just after Uddhav Thackrey’s Chief Ministership. 

Sanjay Raut, a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly called Vaze a capable and honest cop in 2020. After the Antilla Bomb scare, he changed his statement towards his fear of Vaze’s behavior and style of working which the former thought could be problematic for the Maharashtra government that led him to warn other party officials. 

A Few Questions to Be Raised:

Why such fast-forward promotions in Sachin Vaze’s career fed by Thackrey Government?

As per reports, Sudharma Vaze, brother of Sachin Vaze, told the media about the latter being tensed just before his arrest by NIA. What was he tensed for and why? 

The death of Mansukh Hiren and further investigations found Sachin Vaze borrowing an SUV from him in November 2020 which he returned by the first week of February. How did the car get used in between these 2 and a half months? 

K. Yunus had been taken to Aurangabad from Thane Police station for further investigation. The distance between these two districts covers 340.2 km that takes 6 hours and 41 mins through  NH160 Maharashtra State Highway 30. Why would the police go for such a long drive if the suspect was linked to a bomb blast despite knowing the chances of being attacked by his fellow members (only if he was a criminal)? 

Why removal of Dhiraj Mirajkar was so important for the Maharashtra government? 


Why did not the Maharashtra government allow Vaze to resign in spite of knowing his connections to murders? 

And most importantly, Param Vir Singh’s letter to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackrey regarding Anil Desmukh, the Home Minister bestowing power to Vaze to collect 100 crores every month from businessmen of Mumbai. If the party statement stands beside, why further employment in the police force was not enough for Vaze that collection of 100 crores had been given upon him?