'Where Is Param Bir Singh?', Supreme Court Says No Protection To Absconding Officer Till His Whereabouts Are Known

The Supreme Court on Thursday enquired the whereabouts of former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh, who was recently declared as an absconder by a Mumbai Magistrate after his non-appearance in an extortion case.

A bench comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and MM Sundresh was considering the petition filed by Param Bir Singh seeking protection in the cases of corruption and extortion filed against him.

"Where are you?Are you in the country? Outside the country", Justice Kaul asked Senior Advocate Puneet Bail who appeared for Singh, as soon as the matter was taken. The senior counsel replied that the queries can be answered only by the filing counsel. The Advocate-on-Record told the bench that the petitions have been filed by the power-of-attorney holder of Singh.

"You have not joined any investigation. If you are sitting abroad and approaching the Court...Our suspicion might be wrong...if the Court gives a favourable order only then he'll come back. It might be so", Justice Kaul observed.

The bench said that no protection can be granted until his whereabouts are known.

"No protection, no hearing till we have the answer to the question - where are you?", Justice Kaul said.

The counsel then sought for time till Monday to get instructions. Accordingly, the petitions were posted to Monday.

The petition was filed against the September 16 judgment of the Bombay High Court which dismissed as not maintainable the petitions filed by him challenging the two enquiries orders issued by the State Home Ministry for allegedly violative service rules and the second over allegations of corruption.

Case : SLP (Crl) 8788/2021 - Param Bir Singh Vs State of Maharashtra

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