Khushi Bajpai
Published on: July 21, 2022 at 21:05 IST
Review appeal filed by the State Government in opposition to the March 24 order was rejected by a Bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and MM Sundresh. It also rejected the state’s demand to have its attorney present in open court. Review petitions are often decided in secret, without the use of oral arguments, by the judges.
“We have read the review petition and the criminal appeal’s record and are confident that there is no evident error in the order for which a review is being requested that justifies reconsideration. “said the bench.
The review petition is therefore dismissed, according to the court order issued on Wednesday.
At the request of the senior police officer, who claimed a witch hunt was underway against him, the top court on March 24 transferred the investigation into all criminal cases brought by the Maharashtra police against Param Bir Singh to the CBI, asserting that an impartial investigation is required to restore the public’s confidence in the system.
The court further ordered the state to turn over to the CBI all documents pertaining to the five first information reports (FIRs) filed against Singh. All upcoming FIRs pertaining to Singh’s time serving as the commissioner of the Mumbai Police shall also be turned over to the central agency, the court ruled.
In 2021, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) listed a Mumbai police officer, Sachin Waze, as the primary suspect in the Antilla Bomb Scare case. As a result of Singh’s handling of the matter, Waze was moved. Then, in a letter to the chief minister of Maharashtra, he made his accusations against Deshmukh. Deshmukh is now detained in relation to investigations into alleged corruption and money laundering by the CBI and Enforcement Directorate.
Incommunicado for months following his transfer and the filing of charges against him fueled rumours that Singh had left India. Singh eventually appeared before the Supreme Court last year at its request and was given protection from arrest by the Mumbai Police.