Mumbai (Maharashtra): The Crime Branch wing of Mumbai Police on Friday is on a manhunt for underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's aide Riyaz Bhati who has been named in the FIR against former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh in an extortion case. According to the police, Bhati has been on the run after he had been summoned by police for interrogation, adding that an anticipatory bail plea filed by him last month has also been rejected by the sessions court.
"While dismissing the plea, the court said that custodial interrogation is necessary in this case," the police said, alleging that Bhati used to collect money from bar and restaurant owners and send it to suspended Mumbai Police officer Sachin Waze.
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On October 9, the Crime Branch had sent an inquiry notice to former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh, asking him to appear before the police on October 12, police added.
A case of extortion was registered on July 23 against Parambir Singh, Sachin Waze and others at Goregaon Police Station, whose investigation was handed over to the Mumbai Crime Branch. It was the second case of extortion in which Param Bir Singh has been named. The Enforcement Directorate had earlier summoned the former Mumbai Police Commissioner to record a statement in connection with the Rs 100 crore money laundering case against ex-Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh.
Who is Riyaz Bhati?
Bhati was earlier arrested in 2015 when he was preparing to flee to South Africa using a fake passport. Then it was found in the investigation that Bhati's passport had expired in the year 2006. After that, in view of his criminal record, his passport was not renewed and he got a fake passport made with the help of his relative from Rajasthan, with the name Bhatti Fulji, using which he went abroad 10 times between 2009 and 2012.
Cases of extortion have been registered against Riyaz Bhati in many police stations of Mumbai, out of which some cases are registered in Amboli and Juhu police stations. Sources said that the police had also arrested him with a fake passport. In 2020, he was arrested while trying to flee to the UAE.
Read: Mumbai police ask Param Bir Singh to appear on Oct 12 in extortion case
