The Maharashtra Police, who were conducting a probe into various extortion cases against former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh, have handed over all the related documents to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), an official said on Wednesday.
The move comes after the Supreme Court last month transferred to the CBI the investigation in multiple cases against Singh over allegations of misconduct and corruption. The apex court had directed that the probe into five FIRs and three preliminary enquiries (PEs) be transferred to the CBI with all records. All the documents of such cases cases have been handed over to the CBI on the SC's order, the official said.
Multiple cases of extortion were registered against Singh at various police stations in Mumbai and neighbouring Thane, the official said. The state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was investigating the cases registered at Marine Drive police station in south Mumbai, and Kopari police station and Bazarpeth police station in Thane, he said. The Thane police were investigating a case registered at Thane Nagar police station, while the Mumbai crime branch was conducting the probe into a case registered at Goregaon police station.
On March 24, the Supreme Court transferred to the CBI the investigation in multiple cases against Singh over allegations of misconduct and corruption, saying "a very murky affair is going on amid echelons of power". The SC said a thorough investigation is required to regain the faith of people in the state police.
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. The top court had granted him a major relief on November 22 last year, when it directed the Maharashtra Police not to arrest him in criminal cases lodged against him, and wondered if he was being hounded for filing cases against police officers and extortionists, "what could happen to a common man".
The Maharashtra Police had earlier told the apex court that Singh cannot be considered a "whistleblower" under the law as he chose to speak out against alleged corruption involving former state home minister Anil Deshmukh only after he was transferred.
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