Ex-Mumbai top cop Param Bir Singh summoned in corruption case
The Maharashtra government-appointed Chandiwal Judicial Commission on Wednesday issued fresh summons to former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh in a corruption case. He has been asked to appear before the panel by October 6. Singh has not appeared before the Commission over the past several months despite multiple summons being issued in that regard. Here are more details on this case.
Earlier, the said panel had ordered Singh to furnish a bond of Rs. 50,000 and warned that a warrant will be issued against him if he does not appear to record a statement in the case. In fact, bailable warrants issued against the former top cop were taken by the Crime Investigation Department (CID) officers to three locations, but Singh was not present there.
Singh had accused Anil Deshmukh, the former Maharashtra Home Minister, of corruption during his tenure, which also led to his resignation. Deshmukh was accused of extorting money from bars, restaurants, and hookah parlors in Mumbai. He had allegedly asked suspended police officer Sachin Vaze and others to collect Rs. 100 crore every month through illegal means. The former Minister has, however, denied the allegations.
Earlier this week, the Maharashtra government gave permission to the state's Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to launch another inquiry against Singh over corruption allegations. Notably, the ACB is already conducting a probe against Singh based on a complaint by police inspector Anup Dange. Dange alleged that Singh had demanded Rs. 2 crore for reinstating him through a relative when he was under suspension last year.
Meanwhile, the Bombay High Court has dismissed a petition filed by Singh for quashing of two inquiries against him by Maharashtra government. The court, however, advised him to approach Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) over this issue. Singh had alleged that the inquiries were ordered in retaliation after he accused Deshmukh of corruption. "They are trying to shoot the messenger," said his advocate Mahesh Jethmalani.
