Where is Param Bir Singh? Maharashtra HM hints IPS officer may have fled the country
Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil claimed that there were inputs indicating that Param Bir Singh, who is facing a multi-agency investigation, may have fled the country.
FollowIn a rare instance where a law enforcer is believed to have turned absconder, former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh is suspected to have fled the country in the face of the ongoing investigations against him.
On Thursday, Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil claimed that there were inputs indicating that Param Bir Singh may have fled the country.
Also Read:Â Bombay HC dismisses Param Bir Singh plea challenging enquiries against him by Maharashtra govt
Param Bir Singh is being probed by different agencies in cases related to extortion, murder of businessman Mansukh Hiren who was under investigation in the Antilia bomb case, and corruption. The officer has also not received any relief from the courts with regard to the ongoing investigations against him.
Missing since May 5Â
Param Bir Singh, who is now Director-General of the Home Guards Department, last took part in ongoing investigations on April 7 when he had appeared before the National Investigation Agency which has been probing the Antilia bomb-scare case.
Since then, the NIA has been summoning him repeatedly with documents. But he had been seeking extensions repeatedly since May citing health complications. According to NIA sources, agency officers have been unable to spot the officer at his residence in Chandigarh and Rohtak.Â
Param Bir Singh is also being probed with regard to the extortion allegation case involving former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh. Despite being summoned by the Chandiwal inquiry commission repeatedly, the officer continued to skip the hearings.
Incidentally, Param Bir Singh had alleged that Anil Deshmukh had given extortion targets to officers working under him to collect money from bars and restaurants operating in Mumbai to the tune of Rs 100 crore.
Also Read: Trouble mounts as ex-Mumbai Police chief Param Bir Singh, 7 others booked for extortion
Following this, Param Bir Singh had been shifted from the post of Mumbai Police Commissioner to the Home Guards department. After taking charge, the officer has not been seen in the office since May 4.
The NIA is waiting to grill Param Bir Singh based on the statement given by a cyber expert who claimed that the officer paid him Rs 5 lakh to alter the report linked to the investigation into the recovery of the explosive-laden Sports Utility Vehicle close to the billionaire Mukesh Ambani's residence.
Besides, the NIA also picked up clues linking him to the murder of Mansukh Hiren whose SUV was recovered by the Mumbai Police close to Antilia.Â
According to the Maharashtra Home Department, there are at least five FIRs registered against Param Bir Singh.
Politics over Param Bir
Meanwhile, the issue has already been given a political twist by the Congress.
Also Read: Maharashtra govt gives ACB permission for open inquiry against Param Bir Singh
The Congress has blamed the Centre for facilitating Param Bir Singh's exit from the country.Â
Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole claimed that an officer like Param Bir Singh could not have fled the country without the Centre knowing considering that the latter reportedly fled in a private aircraft.
