SC grants protection from arrest to former Mumbai top cop Param Bir Singh
Earlier, Singh's advocate told the court that his client is very much in the country and not absconding. He argued that Singh is hiding as he faces threat to his life from Mumbai Police.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday granted former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh protection from arrest and directed him to join the investigation. Former Mumbai top cop Singh told Supreme Court that he was ready to appear before CBI within 48 hours.
The apex court agreed to hear Param Bir Singh's plea and issued notice to the Maharashtra government and CBI and posts the matter for hearing on December 6.
Earlier, Singh's advocate told the court that his client is very much in the country and not absconding. He argued that Singh is hiding as he faces threat to his life from Mumbai Police.
In the previous hearing, the court had asked absconding Param Bir Singh to disclose his whereabouts. The apex court had asked his lawyer to inform his client's whereabouts. The court stated that it would hear Singh's plea for protection against arrest only after he tells which part of the country or the world he is in.
A magistrate court in Mumbai had declared the former top cop Param Bir Singh a "proclaimed offender" acting on an application filed by the Mumbai Police. Singh had been untraceable since May after he went on leave for health reasons. Communication enquiring about his whereabouts had gone unanswered.
Last month, Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil had said that they were looking into the provisions under All India Services (conduct) Rules to take action against the IPS officer.
On 18 March 2021, the Maharashtra government removed Singh as commissioner in the aftermath of a security incident in which a parked car containing sticks of gelignite was discovered outside of the home of businessman Mukesh Ambani. On March 20, Singh in an eight-page letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray alleged that then Home Minister Anil Deshmukh had asked then Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Waze (now dismissed and prime suspect of the Antilia bomb scare) to collect Rs 100 Crore every month from businesses based in Mumbai. Deshmukh resigned in April, and was arrested in November by the Enforcement Directorate.
On 28 October, a court in Maharashtra’s Thane issued a non-bailable warrant against Singh in connection with a case of extortion. As per the Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil, Singh went on leave from his post of DG Home Guards on May 5 citing ill health.
