Mumbai, Dec 17 (Reporter) Former DGP of Maharashtra Sanjay Pandey has moved the Bombay High Court seeking quashing of an FIR (first information report) of extortion, criminal conspiracy and forgery against him in neighbouring Thane district. In his petition, Pandey has claimed that the FIR by businessman Sanjay Punamiya was filed belatedly out of “political vendetta” and is false and baseless. Punamiya alleged that Pandey, in 2021, misused his position as DGP to extort money and coerced him into giving false statements. Pandey’s lawyers, Mihir Desai and Rahul Kamerkar, submitted that not only was the FIR filed after a delay of three years but is part of a “political vendetta” against him since his retirement as Mumbai Police Commissioner in June 2022. The plea also argues jurisdictional issues, asserting that all alleged incidents occurred within Mumbai’s Commissionerate, outside the DGP’s control. Pandey stated, “The DGP of Maharashtra does not direct Mumbai’s police officers, who report to the Police Commissioner and the Additional Chief Secretary (Home). Thus, the Applicant (Pandey) could not have committed the alleged acts.” The plea is expected to come up for hearing on December 18 before a division bench of the high court...////...