A close aide of Param Bir Singh said, “Sahab is unwell and under stress, he is not absconding or out of touch, but not communicating much perhaps he is in depression.”
A senior police officer told Afternoon Voice on the condition of anonymity that, “No police officer can abscond or hide without the knowledge of the home department, he is completely sheltered by the ruling government, media is misguided with fake news but the news is not true.”
Since Singh was transferred from the post of the Commissioner of Police, Mumbai in March following the bomb scare episode outside the Ambani home, Singh reported to the office for few days and then went on medical leave. His medical leave was prolonged to August 29 and he is supposed to resume work on Monday.
However, government sources said due to the health issues he might have gone out of communication as his mobile phone has been switched off for the past few days. Meanwhile, some officers said he is not absconding or hiding anywhere, the authorities have every access to him.
As DGP Home Guard, Singh directly reports to the state government, and on two occasions he had informed his department that he was going to undergo some surgery, and wouldn’t be able to report due to medical reasons. First, he went on leave citing medical reasons from May 4 to July 17 and then he took two extensions, one till August 7 and the other till August 29.
Singh has responded to the summons issued by the Justice Chandiwal committee appointed by the government but not appearing before the committee.
“He is supposed to report and communicate with his department before his joining, but as per my knowledge there is no communication so far,” said another officer.
The state government-appointed one-member committee headed by retired judge K U Chandiwal had imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on Singh as he failed to appear before it. Earlier in June, the committee had imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on Singh. Singh has challenged the legality of the committee before the Bombay High Court.
Singh was also summoned by the Enforcement Directorate, which is probing the money laundering case in connection with Anil Deshmukh’s case. Singh had also responded to ED that because of medical reasons he won’t be able to present himself and had sought some time.
The Mumbai police initially formed an SIT to probe the Marine Drive case headed by DCP Nimit Goyal. The Maharashtra government has registered five FIRs against Singh with serious allegations of extortion. Two FIRs were registered in Mumbai. Two FIRs were registered in Thane and one was registered in Akola district and later transferred to Thane.
The SIT had recorded the statement of PI and ACP rank officers named in the FIR. “Our probe was at a very initial stage and there is prima facie evidence against the lower rank officers. We were probing the ex-CP’s role but the case got at transferred to state CID as they have a wider scope to investigate,” an officer of Mumbai police said.
The state CID has already issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against Singh and others named in the FIR at Akola, which also got transferred to them. The CID has alerted airports to ensure that the accused doesn’t flee the country. The Thane police have also issued a LOC against Singh. According to sources, Singh’s cell phone has been switched off.
