'Abconding': Ex-Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh gets court notice
Highlights
- The SC termed legal battle between Deshmukh and Singh 'very disturbing'
- Singh's lawyer said his client is very much in India
- The top court also granted protection from arrest to Singh
A court order, declaring former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh 'absconding' has been pasted outside his flat in Juhu, Mumbai.
The Supreme Court had on Monday termed the legal battle between former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and ex-Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh as "very disturbing" and stated that the former commissioner seems to show a lack of faith in the police.
The top court also granted protection from arrest to Singh in the cases lodged against him in Maharashtra and directed him to join the investigation.
A bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and comprising Justice M.M. Sundresh said: "We do find the picture very disturbing. An earlier commissioner seems to show lack of faith in the police! We wonder what would happen to the common man and what kind of faith they would have in the police. The matter has become curiouser in the battle between the then home minister and the then police commissioner."
The bench said: "Prima facie, this may not be the appropriate course of action. The notices issued to the respondents are returnable on December 6. In the meantime, the petitioner shall join the investigation, but shall not be arrested."
Senior advocate Puneet Bali, representing Singh, submitted that his client is very much in India, but apprehends action being taken by the Maharashtra government.
He also submitted that the prayer in the petition was for directing respondent No. 2 (CBI) to inquire and investigate into the criminal conspiracy charges.
Bali submitted that the petition was dismissed at a preliminary stage on the ground that the petitioner must approach the CAT, as the issue raised is of the service of the petitioner with the state government.
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