Param Bir Singh appears before CID over its probe in 2 extortion cases

Former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh appeared before the Maharashtra Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Monday to record his statement in connection with two extortion cases registered against him, an official said.

Following a notice issued by the CID, Singh reached its office at Belapur in neighbouring Navi Mumbai around 3.30 pm, he said.

The agency is investigating the extortion cases registered against Singh at the Marine Drive police station in south Mumbai and Kopri police station in adjoining Thane city.

The CID had earlier arrested police inspectors Nandkumar Gopale and Asha Korke in connection with the Marine Drive case.

Earlier in the day, a commission probing corruption allegations against former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh cancelled the bailable warrant issued against Param Bir Singh after the latter appeared before the panel.

The Justice K U Chandiwal Commission was formed by the Maharashtra government in March this year to probe the allegations levelled by Singh against the then home minister and NCP leader Deshmukh.

The panel had earlier fined Singh on multiple occasions for failing to appear before it and also issued a bailable warrant against him.

Singh, who was earlier declared absconding by a court here in an extortion case, surfaced in public last Thursday after six months on his return from Chandigarh, and appeared before the Mumbai crime branch to record his statement.

The Supreme Court has granted him temporary protection from arrest.

On Friday, Singh appeared before Thane policein connection with an extortion case filed against him and some other police officials on the complaint of a local builder.

The IPS officer is facing at least five extortion cases in Maharashtra.