CBI seeks closure of extortion case against former Mumbai top cop Param Bir Singh

Param Bir Singh. File pic/Ashish Raje

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has submitted a closure report in a case involving former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh, claiming a lack of solid evidence on alleged extortion. The agency filed the report with Thane's Chief Judicial Magistrate on January 18, and the court is slated to hear it in February, reported PTI.

According to the report, the case, which was initially registered in July 2021 at Thane's Kopri police station, featured charges made by local businessman Sharad Agarwal. He alleged that Singh, a former deputy commissioner of police, and other real estate developers intimidated and extorted him for Rs 2 crore in order to acquire his land. The matter was eventually moved to the CBI.

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The closure report indicated that the facts and circumstances surrounding the case did not support the allegations or show any incriminating evidence for prosecuting the accused people. The incident, which was reported in 2021, really occurred between 2016 and 2017. The CBI stated that the delay in reporting resulted in the lack of evidence critical to determining the truth, the report added.

"The incident that occurred during 2016-2017 was reported in 2021. By this time the evidence which would have been instrumental in finding out the truth is not available," the closure report was cited in the PTI report.

The closure report further read, "The allegations made by the complainant are not corroborated by any independent evidence. The complaint was lodged almost after a lapse of five years from the date of occurrence."

Param Bir Singh faced multiple FIRs in Maharashtra in 2021 and also accused the then-state home minister Anil Deshmukh of corruption. Singh made these allegations after being removed as Mumbai police commissioner in March 2021 following the arrest of dismissed police officer Sachin Waze in the case involving an explosives-laden vehicle near Mukesh Ambani's residence.

Waze, who was also accused in the Khwaja Yunus custodial death case, has said that he is ready to become an approver in the case. In his plea before additional sessions judge Sachin Pawar on Monday, Waze said he was not arrested ever for the case and said that the prosecution did not mention that he was involved in the alleged murder and prayed to the court to record his statement.

"I have been suffering because of the pendency of this matter for the last 20 years. This is not only abuse of the process of law, but it has been harming my livelihood, reputation and status in society," Waze's plea was cited in PTI report.