SC to hear former Mumbai top cop Param Bir Singh’s plea for CBI probe against Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court will on Wednesday hear former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh's plea seeking a probe into the allegations levelled by him against Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh.

Singh has accused Deshmukh of running an 'extortion racket.'  

In his petition, Param Bir Singh has called for "unbiased, uninfluenced, impartial and fair investigation in the various corrupt malpractices of Anil Deshmukh, the Home Minister of Government of Maharashtra, before the evidences are destroyed".

Singh's petition will be taken up by a two-judge bench of the top court, comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and R Subhash Reddy.

It may be recalled that Singh was transferred last week by the Maharashtra government to the Home Guards for "mishandling" the Mukesh Ambani bomb scare case.

In his petition, the former Mumbai top cop has also requested the top court to direct the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe the alleged wrongdoings in transfers and postings of police officers in Maharashtra.

The ex-Mumbai top cop has also requested for the collection of CCTV footage of Anil Deshmukh's residence in Mumbai to corroborate with the charges he has levelled.

Singh has also sought a stay on his transfer. In a letter written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, the top cop had alleged that he was transferred to the "low-key" post in the Home Guards "immediately after" he brought Deshmukh's alleged corrupt practices to the notice of chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, deputy CM Ajit Pawar and some other senior leaders of the state government.

Singh alleged that Anil Deshmukh had met his subordinates, including arrested cop Sachin Vaze, in mid-February and asked them to collect Rs 100 crore monthly, including Rs 50 to Rs 60 crore from bars and hotels in Mumbai.

Deshmukh has, however, categorically denied the accusation and has threatened to sue the cop for defamation. Param Bir Singh was transferred from the post of Mumbai police commissioner last week, in the midst of a probe by the NIA into the recovery of an explosives-laden SUV which was found parked outside the south Mumbai residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani last month.