[BREAKING] Mumbai court allows Mumbai Police plea to declare Param Bir Singh as 'proclaimed offender'

A Mumbai court on Wednesday allowed the application filed by Mumbai Police for declaring senior IPS officer Param Bir Singh as a 'proclaimed offender' in an extortion case.

The application was filed against Singh and two other accused, Vinay Singh @ Bablu and 'Dawood aide' Riyaz Bhati, in a case registered based on a complaint by hotelier Bimal Agarwal against the three accused as well as dismissed Mumbai cop Sachin Waze.

Agarwal had alleged that Singh and Waze had extorted cash and valuables worth ₹11 lakh from him.

Based on the complaint, a first information report (FIR) was registered for offences under Sections 384, 385 388, 389 (extortion), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 34 of the Indian Penal Code.

A Mumbai court had recently issued non-bailable warrants against the three accused.

The present application stated that despite having issued multiple non-bailable warrants, the three accused continued to remain missing, and their existence concealed.

In light of this, the police prayed that three accused be declared “absconding” as per Section 82 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

Advocate Shekhar Jagtap appearing for Mumbai Police, showed the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate SB Bhajipale the non-bailable warrants issued by a court in Thane against the three accused.

He argued that in compliance with the order, the Crime Branch had deputed a team of officers to execute the warrants.

The officers visited the last known addresses of the three accused, but could not find them. They also discovered that the accused had not visited their homes since the crime was registered and their whereabouts were not known.

Upon specific directions of the Court, the Investigating Officer in the case also filed an affidavit deposing on oath what had been stated in the affidavit.

Judge Bhajipale then pronounced the order allowing the plea.