Param Bir asked me to pay Rs 10 cr to escape arrest: Cricket bookie

Cricket bookie Sonu Jalan in a statement before the Criminal Investigation Department has alleged that IPS officer Param Bir Singh had asked him to pay Rs 10 crore to former police inspector Pradeep Sharma if he wanted to avoid arrest in a "big case," sources said on Tuesday.

Both Singh and Sharma were not available for comment.

The CID of Maharashtra police is investigating extortion allegations leveled by Jalan against Singh, a former Mumbai police commissioner; Sharma, inspector Rajkumar Kothmire and others.

Jalan had sent a letter to Maharashtra DGP Sanjay Pandey, following which the CID took up the probe.

In his statement, Jalan told CID officials that after his arrest in a betting case in May 2018 by the Anti Extortion Cell of Thane police, he was taken to Param Bir Singh who was then Thane police commissioner.

Singh asked for information about cricket bookies in India and also threatened to arrest him in a "big case" along with his family members, he claimed.

If he wanted to save himself, Jalan should pay Rs 10 crore to Pradeep Sharma, Singh allegedly told Jalan, as per the statement.

Singh was shunted out as Mumbai police commissioner following police officer Sachin Waze's arrest in the case of SUV with explosives found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's house.

Singh later accused then state home minister Anil Deshmukh of corruption.