Maharashtra govt suspends ex-Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh, initiates disciplinary proceedings

Param Bir Singh's supension comes the day Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray was discharged from a private hospital following a spine surgery on November 12.

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New Delhi: Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh was suspended on Thursday (December 2) by the Maharashtra government over ‘certain irregularities and lapses’. 

Moreover, the government has also initiated disciplinary proceedings against the ex-Commissioner. The order comes the day Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray was discharged from a private hospital following a spine surgery on November 12. 

The lapses include unauthorized absence from duty, an official told PTI. As per sources, Singh did not show up in the past six months after being appointed Maharashtra Home Guard chief. “The leave granted to him on health grounds was till August 29, but even after that he failed to join duty”, they informed. 

Singh has been embroiled in controversy since Antilia bomb scare incident. In March, he had levelled allegations of corruption and misuse of official position against then Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh. He had accused Deshmukh of asking police officers to collect Rs 100 crore a month from restaurants and bars in Mumbai. Deshmukh has denied all allegations. Singh was directed by the inquiry commission looking into these allegations to appear to record his statement, but he has been virtually incommunicado since May and turned up before it only last month.

Meanwhile, a magistrate court in Mumbai cancelled its proclamation order against Param Bir Singh in an extortion case registered against him in suburban Goregaon. On November 17, Additional chief metropolitan magistrate S B Bhajipale had issued the proclamation order declaring Singh as an absconder. After Singh appeared before the court last week, his lawyer moved an application seeking cancellation of the proclamation order.

(With PTI inputs)