Mumbai: The Eknath Shinde government in Maharashtra has dropped all charges against former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh. According to an order issued by the state Home Department on 10 May, a copy of which was accessed by ThePrint, the case against him is closed as well.
The state government has also revoked Singh’s suspension, which was imposed by the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.
Singh was suspended on 12 December 2021, and he retired on 30 June 2022. In light of the government order, the period from the date of suspension until he retired will now be treated as him being on duty.
The controversy surrounding the IPS officer began in February 2021, when explosives were allegedly found outside Antilia, the Mumbai residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani.
After he was shifted from his post as Mumbai Police commissioner in the wake of the incident, Singh accused the then state home minister Anil Deshmukh of extortion and interference.
While NCP leader Deshmukh was subsequently arrested based on Singh’s allegations, the latter was booked by the MVA government on extortion and similar charges, and suspended.
The 10 May Maharashtra Home Department order reads: “The memorandum of charges dated 02/12/2021 issued against Shri Param Bir Singh, IPS (Retd) under Rule 8 of All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969, is being withdrawn and the said matter is being closed.”
The order regarding the revocation of his suspension, issued the same day, read, “As per the provisions of the All India Services (Death-Cum-Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958, the suspension of Shri Param Bir Singh IPS (Retd) is revoked by this order and the period of suspension from 02/12/2021 to 30/06/2022 shall be treated as a period spent on duty for all purposes.”
Singh vs Deshmukh
After the Antilia case, Singh was transferred over alleged “lapses”.
In a letter to the then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, Param Bir Singh subsequently accused Deshmukh of asking Mumbai Police personnel to arrange Rs 100 crore per month, including by extorting money from Mumbai bars and pubs.
Later, the MVA government registered five FIRs against Singh on the aforementioned charges, and he was placed under suspension in December 2021.
Deshmukh resigned in light of Singh’s allegations, and was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate(ED) in November 2021, and later by the CBI.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) also questioned Singh in connection with the Antilia case, in which his statement was recorded. But no action was taken.
(Edited by Sunanda Ranjan)
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