Maharashtra: CBI begins probe against Param Bir Singh, records statement of inspector

The investigation, which was initially being conducted by the Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), was handed over to the CBI following a Supreme Court order. Based on a plea by Singh, the apex court had earlier this year transferred five FIRs and two inquiries registered against him by the Maharashtra Police to the CBI. Singh had argued that the state government was targeting him for exposing the corruption by former state home minister Anil Deshmukh.

Earlier in his letter, Dange had alleged that Singh had transferred him from his posting as the senior inspector of Gamdevi police station after Dange registered an FIR against Jitendra ‘Jitu’ Navlani. Dange had said that in November 2019, he had gone with his team to a pub ‘Dirty Buns Sobo’ in south Mumbai that was operating after permissible hours.

He alleged that the owner of the pub, Navlani, claimed he knew several senior IPS officers and tried to intimidate him. Dange alleged that later Navlani also allowed an accused, who was involved in a brawl at the pub on the same night, to escape. Following this, he registered an FIR against Navlani. He alleged that Navlani was close to the then Mumbai police commissioner Singh who then transferred Dange and eventually suspended him.

Dange further alleged that Singh, through certain intermediaries, demanded money to reinstate him in the force. Based on Dange’s written complaint, the ACB initiated a preliminary inquiry against Singh. However, the matter was later transferred to the CBI.

Last week, Dange wrote to the Mumbai police commissioner asking him to appeal against the Bombay High Court order that quashed the FIR registered by Dange against Navlani at Gamdevi police station. He also asked the commissioner to take action against the investigating officer of the case and the ACP who did not present proper evidence in the case due to which the high court quashed the FIR.

Singh, who was transferred following the fiasco over the Antilia Bomb scare case, levelled allegations of corruption against then state home minister Anil Deshmukh in a letter sent to the Chief Minister. Based on the letter, a petition was filed in the Bombay High Court, which ordered a probe against Deshmukh by the CBI. Following this, the Maharashtra Police had registered five FIRs against Parambir, alleging extortion, corruption and misconduct on part of the officer.