‘Don’t file chargesheet against Param Bir’

New Delhi, Dec. 6: The Supreme Court Monday allowed Mumbai Police to carry on the investigation against former police commissioner Param Bir Singh but restrained it from filing charge sheets on the FIRs against him over the allegations of misconduct and corruption.A bench comprising Justices S.K. Kaul and M.M. Sundresh also directed the CBI to file its response on the issue whether the probe should be handed over to it.

The top court said it was only concerned with the ‘likelihood of bias’.

Solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, said the FIRs should also be entrusted to the central probe agency and he will file an affidavit regarding the same.

Senior advocate Darius Kambatta, appearing for Maharashtra, stated that the Singh's petition was a service dispute against departmental enquiries, which should be contested before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT).

The bench then said, “What are your allegations regarding his service etc, that is for you to take. But this is one of the very unfortunate messages. The only concern that we should have is, whether in regards to other matter whether the CBI should consider the same or not,” it said.

Senior advocate Puneet Bali, appearing for Singh, told the apex court that the Maharashtra government was acting with “mala fide” against the former police commissioner.

“After your lordships' order, I (Singh) have joined the investigation. All non-bailable warrants and proclamations against me have been cancelled. Then they file a charge sheet in one of the FIRs. That is a complaint filed by a person against whom I took action. Then they suspended me. The state of Maharashtra is trying to scuttle your lordships orders,” Bali said.