The Maha Vikas Aghadi Government is mulling the suspension of ex-Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh as per the provisions of Rule 3 of All India Service (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969.
Further, the government is also actively considering initiating departmental and criminal action to look into the details of the allegations of the demand of Rs 100 crore per month by the home minister, as claimed by Singh. This was one of the options discussed by the ruling partners at the meeting chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday.
A senior minister told The Free Press Journal, “Singh’s letter was available to each and everyone on Saturday, which is clearly in violation of secrecy and department discipline. Rule 3 of All India Service (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969, extensively deals with the suspension. Singh’s move to level serious corruption charges against the home minister days after his transfer is highly objectionable. Singh has not only challenged the authority but his move has also affected the credibility of Mumbai Police by demanding the Central Bureau of Investigation into the alleged corruption.” “Under Rule 3(1)(a) if the member of the Service is serving under that Government, it can pass an order placing him under suspension,’’ he said.
He further said the Singh may face criminal action for not reporting and initiating the matter pertaining to the demand of money which shows him being complicit in the alleged crime within the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act, for attempted abetment of illegal gratification without reporting the same.
Another minister said Singh has levelled allegations against Deshmukh after his transfer and not when he was the Mumbai CP. “Singh’s act is of some design and therefore the government is mulling the option of his suspension,” he noted.
According to the minister, the government has already sought the opinion of the law and judiciary department and also from the Advocate General before initiating the suspension. “The government will go ahead after it receives legal opinion,” he said.
