Mumbai: Fourth FIR likely against Param Bir Singh in bookie’s extortion complaint

Ahmed Ali / TNN / Updated: Jul 26, 2021, 08:26 IST

MUMBAI: A fourth FIR is likely to be registered against former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh based on a state CID probe that found substance in a bookie’s allegation that Singh and other police officers had extorted money from him. The state CID has submitted its report to director general of police Sanjay Pandey on Friday, sources said. 
Sources said that state CID head Praveen Salunkhe submitted the report to Pandey stating that prima facie, the allegations levelled by bookie Sonu Jalan appear to be true and recommended registration of an FIR. Sources said Pandey is likely to submit the report to the state home department and file an FIR against Singh and inspectors Pradeep Sharma and Raj Kumar Kothmire, who have been named by Jalan in his complaint. 
Pandey declined to comment. 
The CID was conducting an inquiry into Jalan’s complaints against Singh, Sharma and Kothmire of Thane anti-extortion cell. In 2018, Thane police claimed that Jalan took the help of gangster Ravi Pujari in recovering betting money from one Ritesh Shah and arrested him, Ketan Tanna and other bookies. In his complaint, Jalan said he was framed in a false case and these officers extorted Rs 5 crore from him and others. 
Last week, two FIRs were registered against Singh on separate allegations of developer Shyam Sunder Agarwal and his nephew Sharad of extorting money from them. In March, inspector Bhimrao Ghadge of Kalyan police lodged an FIR against Singh and 32 other officers alleging that while he was probing a cheating case pertaining to KDMC officials, Singh misused his official position and submitted a closure report despite there being strong documentary evidence. Early this month, the anti-corruption bureau started an open inquiry against Singh based on the complaint of inspector An-up Dange, who was suspended by him. In his complaint to the home department, Dange had alleged that Singh’s relative had demanded Rs 2 crore to reinstate him in the force.