Mumbai police takes custody of illegal casino operator cop in connection with Gadoli case

Four Gurgaon cops, including Singh, were booked by the Mumbai police for the encounter which took place in February 2016

Head constable Paramjeet Singh, the prime accused in the South City-1 casino racket busted on Wednesday night, who was also an absconding accused in the Sandeep Gadoli encounter case, was produced in the Gurgaon local court on Friday.

Gurgaon police had busted a casino operating out of a house in Block K, South City-1, on Wednesday night. The police arrested around 43 people and recovered a large amount of cash. (Sanjeev Verma/HT PHOTO)

Singh was taken on production warrant by the Mumbai police in connection with the Sandeep Gadoli case.

Four Gurgaon police officials, including Singh, were booked by the Mumbai police in the Gadoli encounter which took place in a hotel in Mumbai in February 2016.

The Mumbai and Gurgaon police have been contesting each other’s claims over the authenticity of the encounter that killed Gadoli at a hotel in Andheri East of Mumbai on February 7. The Gurgaon police officials maintain that they killed him in retaliatory fire. The Mumbai police, based on the family’s claim, allege that the encounter was staged.

Paramjeet had been declared a proclaimed offender by a local Mumbai court after he did not join the investigation of the Mumbai police.

A countrymade pistol and four cartridges were recovered from Singh during the raid along with large sum of cash.

Singh was produced in a local court and was sent to two-day police remand.

It is also being suspected that the brother of a local gangster is also involved in the gambling operation.

Two policemen of the Gurgaon police were suspended and sent to the district police lines after their names cropped up in the casino case.

“The two (Gurgaon) police officials have been sent to the police lines for dereliction of duty. Paramjeet Singh, the prime accused, has been taken in custody by the Mumbai police in connection with another case”, said Sumit Kuhar, DCP (crime).

An official said that a team of Mumbai police reached Gurgaon on Friday to take Singh in custody in connection with the Gadoli encounter.

A petition against this encounter was lodged in the Bombay High Court by the sister of Gadoli, who had asked the Mumbai police to investigate the case.

Mumbai police had booked five Gurgaon police officials in the case.

While four were arrested, Paramjeet Singh was absconding. He stayed in Goa for some time to escape incarceration and during this period he learnt about operating a casino.

Meanwhile, Jharkhand’s dreaded gangster Akhilesh Singh, who was recuperating from bullet injuries in Civil Hospital, Gurgaon was produced in a local court on Friday which sent him to judicial custody in Bhondsi jail. The gangster was transferred with heavy police as there was suspicion that his gang members or his rivals could attack.

Singh is involved in 56 criminal cases including 10 murders and has a reward of ₹5 lakh on his arrest.