Maharashtra drops departmental enquiry-linked charges against Mumbai ex-top cop Param Bir Singh, revokes suspension

Mumbai, May 12

The Maharashtra government has dropped all charges against former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh brought during a departmental enquiry, and also revoked his suspension order issued in December 2021, an official said on Friday.

However, the CBI will continue to investigate five cases filed by it against Singh, he said.

The retired IPS officer is facing multiple cases of extortion, corruption and misconduct.

The order revoking the suspension of Singh and withdrawing all charges against him related to the departmental enquiry initiated in 2021 were issued by the state home department on Wednesday, he said.

According to the order, the period of the former IPS officer’s suspension should be treated as he was on duty.

At least four cases of extortion were registered against Singh in Mumbai and adjoining Thane. During his long police career, he served as commissioner of Mumbai and also Thane.

Singh was transferred from the post of Mumbai Police Commissioner in March 2021 after the arrest of Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Waze by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with the seizure of an explosives-laden SUV from near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence ‘Antilia’ in South Mumbai in February that year.

The 1988-batch IPS officer had written an explosive letter to then-Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, alleging home minister Anil Deshmukh of the NCP had asked police officers to collect Rs 100 crore a month from hotels in Mumbai. Deshmukh has denied the charge.

The then-Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government placed Singh under suspension and put his salary on hold.

The government had initiated a departmental enquiry against the senior police officer and eight serious charges were applied against him during the proceedings, the order mentioned.

Singh had submitted his statement of defence in December 2021 through an email and denied all charges levelled against him during the enquiry. He had filed a petition in the Bombay High Court seeking quashing of enquiry initiated against him by the Maharashtra government, but the plea was rejected.

He had later moved the Supreme Court which had noted certain observations regarding the departmental enquiry and the suspension of Singh, the home department order stated.

Singh also had approached the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), which decided to withdraw the memorandum of charges against him.

Accordingly the memorandum of charges have been withdrawn and the said matter is being closed, said the order issued by the home department.

Another order said it has been decided by the Competent Authority to withdraw the proceedings of departmental enquiry against the former Mumbai police chief.

“It is under consideration of the Competent Authority to revoke the suspension order dated December 2, 2021, issued against Param Bir Singh in the view of order given by the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT),” the order stated.

“As per provisions of the All India Services (Death-Cum-Recruitment Benefits) Rules 1958, the suspension of Param Bir Singh is revoked by the order and the period of suspension from December 2, 2021 to June 30, 2022, shall be treated as period spent on duty for all purposes,” it said. PTI