Another letter accuses Param Bir Singh of extortion

The three complainants have also named a former encounter specialist and a serving police inspector of Thane police as part of Singh’s alleged activities. The three claimed that the rogue cops extorted crores of rupees from them.

A cricket bookie and two businessmen from the city have written to Director General of Police Sanjay Pandey alleging that former Mumbai police commissioner (CP) and present commandant general, Maharashtra home guards, Param Bir Singh ran a recovery and extortion racket in Thane while serving as CP Thane.

Param Bir Singh is already facing an FIR registered by an Akola police inspector BR Ghadge. (HT File Photo/Praful Gangurde)

The three complainants have also named a former encounter specialist and a serving police inspector of Thane police as part of Singh’s alleged activities. The three claimed that the rogue cops extorted crores of rupees from them.

Police officers who asked not to be named said DGP Pandey has entrusted the complaints to the state Crime Investigation Department (CID). Singh did not respond to phone calls and messages seeking comment.

Cricket bookie Sonu Jalan, businessman Ketan Tanna and Munir Ahmed Pathan met DGP Pandey last month and filed their complaints against Singh.

According to their complaints, reviewed by HT, the three say that under the instructions of Singh, who served as Thane CP between 2015 and 18, a former encounter specialist and a serving police inspector from the anti-extortion cell, would call upon businessmen on the pretext of enquiry and extort money by threatening to implicate them in false cases. The complainants have claimed that under Singh’s leadership these police officers allegedly extorted from those who received calls from gangster Ravi Pujari .

Singh is already facing an FIR registered by an Akola police inspector BR Ghadge alleging that he was implicated in some cases after refusing to follow Singh’s instructions aimed at benefiting the accused in a criminal case.