Maharashtra: Govt Drops All Charges Against Ex-Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh
The period from the date the suspension order was issued, December 12, 2021, to June 30, will be treated as Param Bir Singh's time on duty. He retired on June 30 of last year.
The Maharashtra government has dropped all charges against former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh and revoked his suspension order issued in late 2021, news agency PTI reported citing an official on Friday (May 12). At least four extortion-related FIRs were filed against Singh in Mumbai and Thane. According to the official, the state home department issued the order lifting his suspension on Wednesday.
As per the order, the retired IPS officer's suspension period should be treated as if he was on duty. Singh was suspended in December 2021 when the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government was in office.
The Maharashtra Home Department issued an order on May 10 that stated, "The memorandum of charges dated 02/12/2021 issued against Shri. Param Bir Singh, IPS (Retd) under Rule 8 of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969 is withdrawn and the said matter is being closed".
On the same day, an order rescinding his suspension was issued, which stated, "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".
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said: "CAT (Central Administrative Tribunal) gave a judgement under which Param Bir Singh's departmental inquiry was declared wrong and ordered its closure. It labelled his suspension wrong & requested to take back the suspension order. According to that, this decision was taken," he was quoted as saying by ANI.
CAT (Central Administrative Tribunal) gave a judgement under which Param Bir Singh's departmental inquiry was declared wrong and ordered its closure. It labelled his suspension wrong & requested to take back the suspension order. According to that, this decision was taken: Deputy… https://t.co/1z4zFT8RQh pic.twitter.com/L2mPL4uK0u
— ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2023
Multiple extortion, corruption, and misconduct charges were levelled against Param Bir Singh, who was fired as Mumbai Police Commissioner for allegedly mishandling the Antilia Bomb Scare case.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which took over the investigation into these allegations against Singh, had filed five separate FIRs, and Mumbai Police had previously filed the cases.
The NIA had recorded a statement of a cyber expert who claimed that Singh had paid him money to prepare a report that a message claiming responsibility had been uploaded on a telegram channel following the Antilia case from Tihar jail in Delhi.