Maha probe panel issues bailable warrant against ex-Mumbai top cop

In a major development, an enquiry commission in Maharashtra on Tuesday issued a bailable arrest warrant against former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh, currently the Commandant-General of the state Home Guards, officials said here.
The warrant was issued by retired judge K.U. Chandiwal, who is probing the March 20 letter written by Singh to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, levelling charges of corruption against former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, who was later forced to step down.

The arrest warrant for Rs 50,000 has been issued against Singh for non-appearance before the probe commission for the enquiry, despite repeated summons served to him. Singh was also fined Rs 5,000 in June and Rs 25,000 twice in August.

Singh had deposited the amounts in the CM's Relief Fund. The Commission has now posted the matter for further hearing on September 22.

Singh, a 1988 batch IPS officer, is under the scrutiny of the Chandiwal enquiry commission appointed by the state government in March to probe the allegations of bribery and misuse of office levelled against Deshmukh, a senior Nationalist Congress Party leader and the then Home Minister.

Among other things, Singh has accused Deshmukh of allegedly fixing a monthly collection target of Rs 100 crore for dismissed cop Sachin Vaze.

While skipping the Commission hearings, Singh had questioned the setting up of the panel since there is already a probe going on by the Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate in the matter.


Deshmukh, 72, is currently under the radar of the central probe agencies which have raided his offices and homes in Nagpur and Mumbai in the past few months -IANS