A day after ‘absconding’ former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh returned to Mumbai and appeared for probes before the Mumbai and Thane police in an extortion case, the Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil on Friday said that the government will take permissible action against him as per police service rules. He added that further decision will be taken after speaking to the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray who is currently in hospital recovering from a successful cervical spine surgery. The minister declined to divulge further details.
Walse-Patil’s statement is important as Singh faces charges in five extortion cases including two in Thane city where he had worked as the city police commissioner. He was earlier declared a proclaimed offender after summons issued on him went unanswered.
A senior home department officer told the Free Press Journal, ‘’The department has proposed the suspension of Param Bir Singh under Rule 3 of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969. The file has been forwarded to the Chief Minister for his signature.’’
As reported by the Free Press Journal, Rule 3 reads, “A member of the Service in respect of, or against, whom an investigation, inquiry or trial relating to a criminal charge is pending may, at the discretion of the Government be placed under suspension until the termination of all proceedings relating to that charge, if the charge is connected with his position as a (member of the Service) or is likely to embarrass him in the discharge of his duties or involves moral turpitude.”
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.
Further, the officer said Singh may face criminal action for not reporting and initiating the matter pertaining to demand of money which shows him being complicit in the alleged crime within the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act for attempted abetment of illegal gratification without reporting the same.
