HC rejects plea to probe Param Bir Singh in Antilia case

The Bombay high court (HC) dismissed a petition filed urging NIA to probe former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh in connection with the alleged planting of an explosives-laden sports utility vehicle outside Antilia, and subsequent murder of the SUV owner.

Mumbai: The Bombay high court (HC) recently dismissed a petition filed by Malad resident Parshuram Sharma, urging the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to probe former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh in connection with the alleged planting of an explosives-laden sports utility vehicle outside Antilia – South Mumbai residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani, and subsequent murder of the SUV owner.

Mumbai, India – 31 Aug 2018: Maharashtra ADG Param Bir Singh with Pune's Additional CP Shivaji Bodke (L)Dr.Shivaji Pawar(R) at a press conference about the house arrest of rights activists in Bhima Koregaon case, at DGP office, in Mumbai, India, on Friday, Aug 31, 2018. (Photo by Bhushan Koyande/HT)

The division bench of Justice AS Gadkari and Justice Sharmila Deshmukh emphasised the NIA’s expertise and rejected Sharma’s claims that Singh manipulated evidence and influenced the high-profile investigation.

The petitioner alleged that Singh had reinstated officers Sachin Waze and Pradeep Sharma, and displayed a pattern that necessitated further investigation into Singh’s role in the alleged crime. Dismissing these assertions, the court stated, “The crime in question is being investigated by a specialised agency i.e. the NIA, and the expertise of NIA cannot be doubted.”

The bench refuted Sharma’s suspicions, highlighting his lack of expertise as neither a lawyer nor an expert investigator. The court also took note of Sharma’s previous petition for a similar direction, which had been dismissed by another division bench on March 23, 2023.

In addition to these grounds, the court considered a verification report by the NIA, pointing out discrepancies in Sharma’s provided addresses. The report revealed that Sharma’s residence and the office address of the organisation he claimed to lead, Jivan Jyot Welfare Organisation, were fake. The report also noted Sharma’s current affiliation with a political party.

“The verification report states that the petitioner is presently affiliated with a political party,” remarked the bench, contributing to the dismissal of the petition.

On February 25, 2021, a Mahindra Scorpio was found abandoned outside Antilia with 20 lose gelatin sticks kept in a backpack and a note threatening the members of the Ambani family. The body of the vehicle owner, Hiran, was found in the creek near Mumbra on March 5.