SC/ST Act Case: Maha Govt Extends Protection from Arrest Granted to Top Cop Till July 6

The Maharashtra government on Friday told the Bombay High Court it will not arrest former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh till July 6 in a case registered against him under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Senior counsel Darius Khambata, who appeared for the Maharashtra government, told the HC that his previous statement on protecting Singh from any coercive action will be extended till July 6.

Khambata made the statement after a bench of Justices SS Shinde and NJ Jamadar adjourned the hearing till July 5 on pleas filed by Singh seeking quashing of an FIR lodged against him by the Thane police under the Atrocities Act, and challenging preliminary inquiries initiated against him by the state government.The FIR against Singh in the atrocities case was registered in April this year following a complainant made by inspector BR Ghadge, posted at the Akola city police control room. He was earlier posted in Thane.

Ghadge, who belongs to the Scheduled Caste community, had alleged that he had refused to follow Singh's illegal orders to benefit some accused persons in a criminal case when the IPS officer was the Thane police commissioner.Following the refusal, Singh had conspired with some other officers and falsely implicated him in cases of extortion, the victim alleged.

In his other plea in the HC, Singh has challenged two inquiries initiated against him by the state government on charges of misconduct and corruption.The first inquiry order on was passed on April 1 this year, by the then state home minister Anil Deshmukh, for alleged violation of All India Services (Conduct) Rules. Deshmukh resigned from the state cabinet in April after the HC ordered a CBI probe against him over corruption and misconduct charges.

The second order of April 20 was approved by the present home minister Dilip Walse Patil over allegations of corruption levelled against Singh.Singh was transferred from the post of Mumbai police commissioner in March by the state government and appointed the Director General of Maharashtra Home Guard.

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