27 November,2021 07:04 AM IST | Mumbai | Faizan Khan
Mumbai ex-police chief Param Bir Singh leaves after appearing in a court in connection with an extortion case in Thane on Friday. Pic/PTI
A day after he was questioned by the Mumbai Crime Branch, the Thane cops on Friday grilled Param Bir Singh, DG-Home Guard and former city police chief, for close to 8 hours in connection with an extortion case. Earlier, a Thane court had issued a non-bailable warrant against the top cop, who called himself a law-abiding citizen.
Sources said Singh has denied all the allegations in the Thane police case on the grounds that he had no role in it as he was the chief of the force and the investigation was done by his juniors. On Thursday too, he had rejected all charges.
The extortion case against Singh and a few serving cops was registered by Thane Nagar police in July on a complaint by Ketan Tanna, a builder and a bookie.
In his complaint, Tanna alleged that between 2018 and 2019, when Singh headed the Thane police, he and a few more officers extorted Rs 1.25 crore from him after threatening him with dire consequences. He also alleged that they extorted Rs 3 crore from his friend and bookie Sonu Jalan in a similar fashion.
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Singh reported to Thane Nagar police station around 10:30 am. He went to the Thane court around 3 pm to file an application seeking cancellation of the non-bailable order against him. He returned to join the questioning and left around 7 pm.
The Thane police have arrested a private person in this case. Apart from Singh. former encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma has also been named as an accused.
Singh surfaced on Thursday more than two months after going incommunicado, after getting protection from arrest from the apex court. On Wednesday, the Mumbai Crime Branch grilled him for six hours. "I am a law-abiding citizen and cooperating in the investigation as per the directions given by the Supreme Court. I have recorded my statement and I will go wherever my presence is required," Singh told mid-day.
Singh's lawyer had also approached the Chandiwal Commission saying the officer was ready to appear on Friday, but the Commission asked him to appear on Monday.
