Extortion case: Police ask court to declare Param Bir Singh ‘proclaimed absconder’

A holiday court has referred the plea to the regular court, which is likely to hear the matter on Monday. Police can seize the properties of Param Bir Singh if the court declares him a proclaimed absconder

Mumbai crime branch officers moved an application to declare former city police commissioner Param Bir Singh as a ‘proclaimed absconder’ so that his properties could be seized. Singh, along with dismissed assistant inspector Sachin Vaze and others, is accused of extorting money from Goregaon businessman Bimal Agarwal.

Param Bir Singh, along with dismissed assistant inspector Sachin Vaze and others, is accused of extorting money from Goregaon businessman Bimal Agarwal. (HT FILE)

“On Saturday, we moved an application before a holiday court, seeking the initiation of procedure to get Singh and other wanted men, Riyaz Bhati and Vinay Singh alias Bablu, declared as a proclaimed accused under section 82 of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). Once the court declares them proclaimed absconder, they would get a 30-days period to appear before the court. If they fail to appear, then their properties can be attached under sections 83 of CrPC. The holiday court has referred the plea to the regular court, which is likely to hear the matter on Monday,” said special public prosecutor Shekhar Jagtap.

There are already three non-bailable warrants issued against Singh by different courts in Mumbai and Thane and five FIRs registered for various cases.

Meanwhile, the holiday court also remanded Vaze in police custody for two days in the same extortion case.

“We informed the court that we wish to question Vaze about the trail of money that was extorted from the complainant businessman. Hence, his further custody was required. The court was convinced and granted his two-day custody to crime branch officers,” said Jagtap.

Vaze’s lawyer did not oppose to police’s plea to seek the extension of Vaze’s custody. His lawyer also informed the court that as there is too much pressure on Vaze from the Central and state governments, he is contemplating to give his statement before the magistrate under section 164 CrPC. The court asked the defence lawyer to make a decision about recording the statement and make the application before the regular court. Vaze was arrested in this case on November 1.

The dismissed officer was previously arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the Antilia explosives scare and Mansukh Hiran murder cases.