CBI takes over investigation against Param Bir Singh

The CBI has taken over investigation into five cases of alleged misconduct and corruption against former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh from the Maharashtra Police, officials said on Wednesday.

On the directions of the Supreme Court, the Special Crime unit of the central agency registered the cases late Tuesday evening.

All the five FIRs registered in Thane and Mumbai have now been re-registered by the CBI as its own cases in accordance with its manual, they said.

The Supreme Court had on March 24 transferred the investigation of these cases to the CBI, saying "a very murky affair is going on amid echelons of power".

A bench of justices S K Kaul and M M Sundresh had said a thorough investigation was required to regain the faith of people in the state police.

"The exigencies in the advancement of principles of justice require the investigation to be transferred to CBI. We are not saying appellant (Singh) is a whistle-blower or anyone involved in this case is washed with milk," the bench said while allowing the appeal filed by Singh.

The bench also refused to revoke the suspension of Singh and said all future FIRs too would be transferred to the CBI.

Singh is facing multiple cases of extortion, corruption and misconduct, and was removed from the post of Mumbai Police chief over his alleged mishandling of the Antilia bomb scare case.

Prior to this, the Bombay High Court had dismissed Singh's petition seeking quashing of inquiries initiated against him by the Maharashtra government, and said he can approach the Central Administrative Tribunal, holding it was a service matter. It had rejected his claim that the government's action was a consequence of his allegations of corruption against former state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh.