Maharashtra probe panel imposes Rs 25,000 cost on former Mumbai CP after he seeks adjournment

MUMBAI: Justice K U Chandiwal on Wednesday adjourned the recording of evidence of former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh to August 25 subject to payment of costs of Rs 25,000 by Singh, to be deposited in the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (Covid-19) within three days. This is the second time the commission has imposed a cost on Singh. Earlier, on June 22, it had asked him to pay Rs 5,000.
Following a letter written by Singh to CM Uddhav Thackeray on March 20 which alleged that then home minister Anil Deshmukh had asked (now-dismissed) assistant police inspector Sachin Waze to collect Rs 100 crore from restaurant and bar owners in Mumbai, the state government set up a commissioner of inquiry led by Justice Chandiwal, a former judge of the Bombay high court, to probe the charges.
On July 5, Singh’s lawyer Sanjay Jain raised a preliminary objection to the maintainability and purpose of the commission on the grounds that the scope entrusted to it had already been adjudicated upon by the high court, which had observed that the inquiry should be conducted by an independent agency. Justice Chandiwal on July 30 rejected Singh’s contention, saying the purpose of the commission had not at all been judicially adjudicated by the HC order.
Subsequently, on August 6, Parambir Singh filed a fresh application before the commission, saying the ongoing proceedings should be adjourned as he had challenged the proceedings before the high court in the week starting August 9. Deshmukh’s advocate Anita Castellino opposed the adjournment on the grounds that no copy of the writ petition had been served, the commission had a time-bound schedule of six months, and there was no stay from any of the competent forums for the commission.
The commission was, during its proceedings on Wednesday, informed by Singh’s advocate Sanjay Jain that the proceedings may be adjourned since the petition filed by Singh is likely to be taken up in the week commencing August 23. Advocates for Deshmukh, Sanjeev Palande and Sachin Waze opposed the adjournment application. “After hearing the advocates, it is obvious the inquiry is to be completed within a schedule time. The earlier order of July 30, though questioned belatedly, for that purpose the inquiry ordinarily should not have been stalled. Ignoring other aspects and development, the fact remains that the parties will have to adhere to the time schedule. As a last chance, keep the matter for evidence of Param Bir Singh on August 25 subject to payment of costs of Rs 25,000 to be deposited by him in the CM Relief Fund - Covid-19,” Justice Chandiwal observed in his brief order.