Param Bir appears before Thane cops to record statement in extortion case

Former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh on Friday arrived at a police station in Thane to record his statement in an extortion case registered against him there

Former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh on Friday arrived at a police station in Thane to record his statement in an extortion case registered against him there.

Former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh at Kandivali in Mumbai on Thursday. (HT photo)

Businessman Ketan Tanna, 54, in July accused Singh, deputy police commissioner Deepak Devraj, assistant police commissioner NT Kadam, retired police officer Pradeep Sharma, senior police inspector Rajkumar Kothmire, and gangster Ravi Pujari of extorting crores from his and his friend Sonu Jalan. Jalan was arrested in connection with a betting racket in 2018.

Last month, the Thane Sessions Court issued a non-bailable warrant against Singh in connection with the case.

A police officer with the Thane Police said Singh arrived at the police station around 10.30am on Friday and that his statement was being recorded.

Singh appeared before the Mumbai Police Crime Branch on Thursday three days after the Supreme Court granted him protection from arrest. He resurfaced in Chandigarh on Wednesday and later arrived in Mumbai, where he was interrogated in connection with another extortion case.

Singh was incommunicado for months, fuelling rumours that he had fled the country.