Another extortion case registered against former Mumbai police chief Param Bir Singh

Param Bir Singh. File pic

The Thane Police on Thursday registered a case of extortion and cheating against DG Home Guard Param Bir Singh for allegedly extorting Rs 2 crore by misusing his position to grab land during his tenure as Thane police commissioner. Apart from Singh, Mumbai Police DCP (Economic Offence Wing) Parag Manere has also been named in the FIR.

This is the third FIR registered against Singh. On Wednesday, the Marine Drive police had booked him, along with other officers, in a similar case of extortion and land grabbing.

Thane police commissioner Jai Jeet Singh confirmed to mid-day that the FIR has been registered against Singh, Manere and others under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including extortion and cheating.

In the FIR, Singh's close aides Sanjay Punamia, Sunil Jain and Manoj Ghatkar have also been named by Kopri police station. Punamia and Jain were arrested by Marine Drive police on Wednesday evening and remanded to police custody for seven days by Killa court.

The complaint was filed by one Sharad Agarwal, who is into real estate business. Sharad Agarwal alleged that Singh and others have extorted Rs 2 crore from him and took his land forcefully by forging several documents.