Parambir Singh files petition in Bombay HC against decision of state govt

Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Parambir Singh has once again filed a fresh petition in the Bombay High Court. Parambir Singh has challenged the ongoing probe by the state government. Parambir Singh has filed a fresh petition in the Bombay High Court against the state government for investigating two cases against him. He has challenged two orders passed on April 1 and 20 by the state directing a preliminary enquiry by IPS Sanjay Pandey against him.

When Parambir Singh met Sanjay Pandey, the state's director general of police, on April 19, he told him that the government would file several cases against him. Pandey had advised Singh to withdraw the letter sent to the state government alleging corruption against former home minister Anil Deshmukh, Singh's lawyer Mukul Rohatgi told the high court.The High Court had asked the government to respond to the allegations made by Singh in the petition and the matter will be heard on May 4.

As per the directives dated April 1, DGP Sanjay Pandey started a preliminary inquiry against the petitioner by invoking Section 32 of Cr.P.C. in alleged suspicion of violation of service matter under All India Service (Conduct) Rules, 1968, is ex-facie, illegal, outside the frame of law and therefore cannot be sustained in light of the settled principles of law.”

The Bombay High Court is hearing Parambir's plea challenging two state government orders. Earlier, Parambir Singh had filed a petition in the high court seeking a CBI probe into allegations of corruption against the former home minister. The High Court had quashed the public interest litigation filed by Parambir and two others.

Empowerment of the DGP to conduct the said departmental enquiry u/s 32 of the code of criminal procedure is itself illegal as the said Section has no provision to assign the power of departmental enquiry through the DGP of Maharashtra or any other officer of the force," is his plea in his praecipe adding that he "apprehends that the Departmental Enquiry is motivated and will not be fair and transparent." Singh also "apprehends that coercive steps will be taken" and seeks orders for it to be set aside.