MUMBAI: In a surprising development, the Eknath Shinde government has reinstated DCP Parag Manere who was suspended by the Uddhav Thackeray government in alleged extortion case related to Param Bir Singh.
The MVA government led by by former CM Uddhav Thackeray suspended Parambir Singh from service for alleged negligence in duty in December last year. Along with this, disciplinary action was taken against DCP Parag Manere, facing allegations of forced recovery and corruption.
On March 20, 2021, Param Bir Singh levelled ‘extortion’ charges against the NCP leader. The ex-Mumbai top cop claimed in a letter to then-Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray that Deshmukh had asked now-suspended Assistance Police Inspector Sachin Vaze to extort Rs 100 crores per month from 1,750 Mumbai pubs, restaurants, and other establishments.
The agency has booked Deshmukh and unidentified others under the Indian Penal Code sections concerning criminal conspiracy and section of the Prevention of Corruption Act for “attempt to obtain undue advantage for the improper and dishonest performance of public duty”.
In an inquiry conducted by the CBI, it was found that Waze, an assistant police inspector with the Mumbai Police who was later arrested by the NIA, was reinstated into the police force after being out of service for over 15 years.