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SC restrains Mumbai police from filing charge sheet against Param Bir Singh

The top court observed that prima facie is of the view that the probe against Singh should be done by another agency and not by the state police.

SC restrains Mumbai police from filing charge sheet against Param Bir Singh

Photo: File photo

The Supreme Court on Monday restrained the Maharashtra Police from filing charge sheets in all the FIRs registered against former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Vir Singh but allowed the investigation to proceed.

The top court observed that prima facie is of the view that the probe against Singh should be done by another agency and not by the state police.

A bench headed by Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and M M Sundresh sought CBI’s view in connection with taking up the investigation in the FIRs registered by the Maharashtra Police against Singh over allegations of misconduct and corruption.

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Senior advocate Puneet Bali, representing Singh, contended that the Maharashtra government and the DGP have filed responses, but the CBI is yet to file a response.

The bench asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that could the CBI take up this matter as it is already looking into the other aspects?

In a written response, the Maharashtra government has told the top court that there is no need for a CBI probe into the cases as these are service matters and Singh is also not a whistleblower.

The top court directed the state police to continue its probe but restrained it from filing a charge sheet in the matter.

The bench said: “Since the petitioner has joined the investigation, let the probe continue but no challan is issued.”

It also directed the CBI to file its affidavit within a week and scheduled the matter for further hearing on January 11.

The top court had earlier granted protection from arrest to Singh which will continue.

The top court was hearing a plea filed by Singh against the September 16 judgement of the Bombay High Court, which dismissed his writ petition challenging the two inquiries ordered by the state home ministry for allegedly violating service rules and corruption charges as non-maintainable.

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