Mumbai : Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik on Thursday denied the charges leveled by
suspended cop Sachin Vaze, who claimed that the Malik has been “brandishing all weapons” against him and prejudicing his case before the Chandiwal commission probing the allegation of corruption against former home minister Anil Deshmukh.
Appearing before the one-member high level enquiry commission headed by Justice (retd.) Kailash Chandiwal the senior NCP leader said that he hasn’t made any statement which could in any way affect the proceedings before the panel.
Earlier Justice Chandiwal had issued a notice to Malik on an application made by Vaze, claiming that the statement by Malik prejudiced his case before the commission.
Vaze through his advocate Rounak Naik and Yogesh Naidu took exception to a recent press statement made by Malik reportedly calling him and former top cop Parambir Singh as the “mastermind” of the entire “Antilia bomb scare episode.”
The commission had earlier this week issued a notice to Malik asking him to appear through his advocate and file a reply in the matter. However, Malik appeared personally before the commission along with his advocate Mobin Solkar. Appearing for Vaze, Naidu read from Malik’s reply wherein he has stated that “he has spoken only the truth based on NIA chargesheet… He claims that there is no reference to the proceedings before this commission.” At this, Justice Chandiwal asked if Malik could be asked not to make any statement against Vaze. “Can we refrain a person when his civil rights are concerned… He is the spokesperson of a national political party,” Chandiwal said. To this, Naidu responded, “If that be so, anyone can bring in a spokesperson who can speak on any and everything…The law provides for reasonable restrictions even on the fundamental right to free speech. It must be noted that even a spokesperson of any party cannot be allowed to make such comments.”
