Untraceable for 5 months, Maharashtra govt starts process of declaring Param Bir Singh an ‘absconder’

Earlier this month, Maharashtra home department officials said the state government had begun the procedure for suspending Param Bir Singh but wanted to make the case “fool-proof by giving reasoning that stands the legal scrutiny.”

The Maharashtra home department on Monday initiated the process of declaring former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh as an “absconder.”

In July, a lookout notice was issued against former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh. (File)

In a communication to the Intelligence Bureau, the department said the IPS officer was untraceable. The state department has also sought legal opinion on the process of announcing Singh as an absconder.

The development came a week after the state government informed the Bombay high court that it was unwilling to continue with its earlier statement of not taking any coercive action against Singh, including his arrest.

Earlier this month, the home department officials told Hindustan Times the state government had begun the procedure for suspending Singh, but wanted to make the case “fool-proof by giving reasoning that stands the legal scrutiny”.

Singh is wanted in an investigation into a money laundering case where he has levelled allegations against former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh and dismissed Mumbai police officer Sachin Vaze. He is also wanted in the bomb scare case outside industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence, Antilia, and the subsequent murder of Thane trader Mansukh Hiren, following which he was removed from the top post in March.

The last time Singh had responded to a summon was on April 7 before the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to record his statement in both the cases. He had last attended office on May 4 and went on leave the next day citing medical reasons.

Since then, Singh’s whereabouts have been unknown to the Maharashtra government, Mumbai Police and probe agencies.

In July, a lookout notice was issued against him and investigating agencies have said that Singh fleeing India could be a reason behind his continued absence in the country. An official had earlier told news agency ANI that the former Mumbai Police chief either left India before the lookout notice was issued or by using a forged passport.

Last week, a Maharashtra crime investigation department (CID) team visited many known addresses of Singh, including his family home in Chandigarh. Another Mumbai Police team visited the former cop’s private residence in Vile Parle. They have also reportedly sent several emails to Singh’s known accounts but those have not been responded to either.

An IPS officer said on condition of anonymity that Singh’s last known location was Chandigarh.