Mumbai: Esplanade Court in Mumbai has declared former Mumbai police commissioner and Director-General of Home Guards Parambir Singh absconding in a ransom case filed at Goregaon Police Thane, notice has now been posted on the door of his flat in Juhu. His lawyers had argued that he is ready to appear in CBI or other courts in the next 48 hours. Esplanade Court, Mumbai also allowed the Mumbai Police plea to declare Param Bir Singh absconding.
Singh had last attended his office in May this year after which he went on leave. The state police had told the Bombay High Court last month that his whereabouts were not known. On July 23, a case of extortion was registered against Param Bir Singh at Kopari Police Station in Thane City Police Commissionerate. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had previously summoned the former Mumbai Police Commissioner to record a statement in connection with the Rs 100 crore money laundering case against ex-Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh. Singh, on July 12, sought more time from the ED to appear before it ahead of his summons citing health reasons.
A businessman, Vimal Agrawal from Goregaon had lodged a complaint against Sachin Waze, Singh, Sumit Singh, Alpesh Patel, Vinay Singh and Riaz Patel. Agarwal runs a BOHO restaurant and bar in Goregaon in partnership. He alleged that Sachin Waze and the other accused had taken Rs 9 lakh to keep both of them going.
Agarwal further alleged that the accused had taken Rs 9 lakh from January-February 2020 to March 2021. Following Agarwal's allegations, Mumbai Police has registered cases under sections 384, 385, 388, 389, 120B, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code.
Param Bir Singh, Rijay Bhati, and Vinay Singh were declared absconding. Parambir Singh was declared absconding and was given a period of 30 days. If Param Bir Singh does not appear before the court during this period, the state government will have the power to seal his assets.
Four police officers have been arrested in connection with the allegations. Mumbai Police are searching for Singh. Prosecutors had told the court he was not cooperating with the investigation. Therefore, it was expected that a look-out notice would be issued against Singh.
Police Inspector Asha Korke and Nandkumar Gopale are remanded to 14 days of judicial custody. The Maharashtra government asked the Director-General of Police and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to state their case.
"Param Bir Singh is in the country, he does not want to be a fugitive and does not want to run away but his life is in danger." his lawyers told the Supreme Court.
