FIR against Param Bir Singh for caste-based harassment

Image Courtesy:indianexpress.com

Param Bir Singh, Mumbai’s former top cop who was shunted out for his alleged failure in handling the case of discovery of explosives, has now found himself in fresh controversy. A First Information Report (FIR) was filed against Singh and 32 others in Akola late on Wednesday night based on a complaint by Bhimrao Ghadge, a policeman who has accused Singh of corruption and caste-based harassment.

On April 20, Ghadge had addressed a complaint to the Maharashtra government and the Director General of Police, making a series of allegations against Singh. Ghadge had alleged that between 2015 and 2018, the period that he was posted at the Bazaar Peth police station in Thane, and Param Bir Singh was the Thane Police Commissioner, Singh had “indulged in corruption at many levels” including shady land deals, misuse of government accommodation, etc.

He also alleged that Singh had asked him not to chargesheet certain individuals against whom FIRs had been registered. When Ghadge refused, he was harassed; as many as five FIRs were registered against him and he was suspended. He also alleges that the harassment took place because Ghadge belongs to a scheduled caste.

Ghadge is currently posted at the Akola police control room and the FIR was registered at the City Kotwali police station. According to the Indian Express, as many as 27 charges have been brought against the 32 accused including criminal conspiracy, destruction of evidence, as well as under provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

It is noteworthy that not long ago, Singh had himself written a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray making a series of allegations of corruption against Anil Deshmukh, who has since stepped down and failed to dodge a CBI inquiry.