File image of former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh. PTI

Former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh, who was sacked from his post following the National Investigation Agency’s arrest of assistant inspector Sachin Waze, has accused state home minister and senior NCP leader Anil Deshmukh of “malpractices” and using police officers to “collect” money, reports said.

In a letter to Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, Singh reportedly levelled several allegations against Deshmukh, including accusing the home minister of “asking Waze to collect Rs 100 crore per month”, India Today reported.

This money, Singh reportedly claimed in the letter, was to be collected from restaurants, pubs and bars and other sources. Firstpost was not able to independently verify the authenticity of the letter or the claims reportedly made in it.

Waze was recently arrested by the NIA in connection with a case involving the discovery of an explosives-laden vehicle near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence.

According to a report in NDTV, which quoted a portion of the letter, Singh alleged that the “Hon’ble Home Minister told Vaze that there are about 1,750 bars, restaurants and other establishments in Mumbai and if a sum of ₹ 2-3 lakhs was collected from each of them, a monthly collection of ₹ 40-50 crores was achievable. The Hon’ble Home Minister added that the rest of the collection could be made from other sources.”

The meeting, Singh reportedly claimed in the letter, took place in and around mid-February.

Deshmukh, however, has denied the allegations and accused the former Mumbai Police commissioner of trying to “save himself” as investigations on Waze are leading to him as well. He tweeted:

The former Commissioner of Police, Parambir Singh has made false allegations in order to save himself as the involvement of Sachin Waze in Mukesh Ambani & Mansukh Hiren’s case is becoming clearer from the investigation carried out so far & threads are leading to Mr. Singh as well

— ANIL DESHMUKH (@AnilDeshmukhNCP) March 20, 2021

Earlier, speaking on a television channel on Thursday, minister Deshmukh had said, “This is not an administrative transfer (of Singh). Some things have come to light in probes conducted by the NIA and the ATS.”

“Some colleagues of the (former) Mumbai police chief (Singh) committed serious mistakes. Those are unforgivable mistakes. Hence, he was transferred. Further action will be taken based on the probe report,” Deshmukh, a senior NCP leader, had added.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis demanded that either home minister Deshmukh resign or be expelled from the post.

He also demanded an independent inquiry on the allegations raised against Deshmukh. “This is a very serious matter. We demand that he resign,” he said.

With inputs from PTI