Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh was granted interim protection from the Supreme Court. The protection is granted from arrest in six FIRs (First Information Reports) filed against him in Maharashtra. The court asked to join the investigation. The order came after Singh’s advocate told the Supreme Court that the former senior police officer did not want to flee but he went into hiding because the Mumbai police threatened him.
Singh’s advocate, who alleged his threat came from the Mumbai police, said he is residing in the country and was seeking protection from the higher court. He also told the court that he is ready to speak to the CBI within 48 hours to appear. It heard Singh’s admission of guilt and issued a notice to the Maharashtra government and CBI and made the matter public for hearing on December 6th. Last week the Supreme Court asked his attorney to report Singh’s whereabouts while he was seeking protection.
On Wednesday, the magistrate court in Mumbai declared Singh and several other police officers a “proclaimed offender” in extortion proceedings against him in the city. Singh last visited his office in May of this year, after which he went on vacation. Mumbai Police last month told the Bombay High Court that Singh’s whereabouts were unknown. The Mumbai Police Criminal Branch investigating the extortion case, requested the proclamation against him, stating that the IPS officer could not be located even after the issuance of a non-bailable warrant.
