Mumbai Police moves court to declare Param Bir Singh 'proclaimed offender'

Mumbai Police on Saturday approached a Chief Metropolitan Magistrate court in Mumbai to declare senior IPS officer Param Bir Singh along with two others as “proclaimed offenders” in connection with an extortion case. .The application was filed against Singh and two other accused, Vinay Singh @ Bablu and suspended cop 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 lakhs 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.The Mumbai court had recently issued non-bailable warrants against the three accused..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..In case of the senior IPS officer, the officers did not find him or his family at his residence at Malabar Hill. The security guard, Satish Burute and cook Rambabadur Kulbahadur Thapa, informed the Crime Branch that the officer including his family members have not lived there for the past 3 months.They also stated that they had not idea about the whereabouts of Singh and family, and there had been no communication with them..In case of Vinay Singh, the team met his brother and wife who stated that Vinay had not come to the house since the day the crime was registered. In fact, he was not reachable through his phone or any other mode of communication. When the officers tried to locate him through his mobile phone, they could not trace him..Similar statement was made by Sabrez Bhati, wife of Riyaz Bhati..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..Once the court issues proclamation of 'absconding', notices will be displayed at prominent places stating that the accused are “wanted” and that they should approach the Court immediately..After a lapse of 30 days, if there is no response, then Mumbai Police can then move an application under Section 83 of CrPC when the Court can pass an order for attaching any movable and/or immovable property belonging to the proclaimed offenders..Meanwhile, in the same case, Waze is presently in the custody of the Crime Branch for interrogation till November 15, 2021.Waze told the Court today that he was contemplating recording statement with a judicial magistrate under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.