Nashik cop says Param Bir framed him in suicide case

Singh, who is on medical leave, has faced many allegations after the Sachin Waze episode

A police officer from Nashik Rural has accused former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh of framing him in a suicide case when both were posted in Thane. Deputy Superintendent Shamkumar Nipunge said Singh was upset with him after he took action against traffic violators.

In a complaint to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil, additional chief secretary (home) and Maharashtra DGP Sanjay Pandey, he has also attached copies of a sting video of one ACP Kadam who he claims was very close to Singh in Thane. In the clip, ACP Kadam purportedly tells Nipunge that he was arrested in the suicide case on Singh's orders.

The Thane crime branch arrested Nipunge in 2018 for abetment after a constable, Subhadra Pawar, allegedly hanged herself a year ago. "She was known to my sister and knew me very well. We spoke to each other frequently. Just because I had made multiple calls to her on the day she died, I was framed by Singh for abetment. In the sting operation of ACP Kadam, he is saying it was a case of murder and he realised it within few minutes after the case was registered," Nipunge told mid-day. He said he spent six months in jail.

During his posting as a traffic ACP in Thane, Nipunge said, he tried to expose the nexus between department and operators of heavy goods vehicles. "The traffic officers posted at Narpoli division would collect money from these vehicles and allow them to continue with their activities [despite jams]. The money was going to Singh. In fact, the officers at the traffic division had paid Rs 1 crore to get the posting," he alleged.

Nipunge said he ran into the bad books of Singh once he started taking action against the violators and took the statements of those drivers who used to pay money to traffic officers. "The DCP called me to his office and said that Singh is not happy with my action and I might be transferred. Later, I was shifted to Thane police headquarters," he said.

The officer said constable Pawar died when her fiancé was there in the room and he told the police that she committed suicide. "Later, I learnt that she was killed by her boyfriend and my sources and ACP Kadam also confirmed the same in the sting operation."

He added, "The DVD with the post-mortem video is missing and it has been confirmed to me in an RTI query. Unfortunately, the same set of doctors also conducted the post-mortem of Mansukh Hiran," he alleged. Nipunge said he could not muster the courage to complain against Singh as he was a very influential officer.

Queries sent to Singh remained unanswered till press time.

Days after the arrest of API Sachin Waze in the Mukesh Ambani threat and Hiran murder cases, Singh was transferred as DG Home Gaurd.

The officer, who is on medical leave since May 5, said in a letter that former home minister Anil Deshmukh had a role in alleged extortion of Rs 100 crore from bars and restaurants.

While there have been many complaints against Singh, he has maintained that they are politically motivated.

Complaints against Singh

>> Bookie Sonu Jalan and Ketan Tanna say Singh got them arrested in a fake case of cricket betting and extorted R5 crore. CID is probing the complaint.
>> Inspectors Anup Dange and Bhimrao Ghadge have levelled allegations of corruption against Singh. Allegations are being probed by CID and ACB
>> State home department launched a probe after the new city police chief said Waze's reinstatement was done in violation of rules
>> An SIT of Thane police is probing a land scam in which Singh's role was suspected