Supreme Court shields former Mumbai Police chief Param Bir Singh from arrest

Mumbai : The Supreme Court on Monday shielded former Mumbai Police chief Param Bir Singh from arrest in criminal cases lodged against him, and ordered him to join the investigations after his counsel informed the court that he is very much in the nation.

Param Bir Singh had gone underground after criminal cases were filed against him, he was declared absconder.

Granting him relief from the arrest, the Supreme Court expressed deep concern over the ongoing battle between him and Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh, who is also being probed by the CBI and the ED on the allegations levelled by the senior IPS officer that the NCP functionary had asked for collection of bribes amounting to Rs 100 crore.

The apex body said if a former chief cannot trust his force then where would common man go for justice.

“We do find the picture very disturbing. An earlier commissioner seems to show lack of faith in police! We wonder what would happen to the common man and what kind of faith would they have in police. The matter has become curiouser and curiouser in the battle between the then home minister and the then police commissioner. The only question which has to be examined is whether in view of the CBI looking into the matter, the other aspects arising are also to be entrusted to the CBI,” it said.

The court had earlier said that he must reveal his whereabouts before any proceeding in the matter. Singh’s counsel told a bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and M M Sundresh that the officer had not fled abroad and was hiding in the country fearing a threat to his life from Maharashtra Police.

The branch allowed him hearing and protection from the arrest.

Bali said his client had no faith in the state police and assured the court that he would appear before the CBI within 48 hours if the probe against him was transferred from Maharashtra Police to the central agency.