Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh has said that he has no first-hand information regarding the corruption allegations made by him and that the same were provided to him by some officers.

The statement was made by Singh’s counsel, Abhinav Chandrachud, before Retired justice KU Chandiwal Commission which was appointed by the government in March this year to probe allegations of corruption made by Singh against former state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh.

On Tuesday, dismissed assistant police inspector Sachin Vaze was cross examined before the Commission. Vaze’s advocate sought that his cross-examination be deferred till either Singh appears before the Commission or files his affidavit.

However, the commission rejected his plea.

Chandrachud reiterated that the former top cop does not have any further evidence to share in the matter.

Regarding Vaze’s lawyer’s request for deferment, Chandrachud said: “I believe his (Vaze's) apprehension is that today his client is going to step into the witness box and tomorrow my client (Singh) will say some entirely different.”

He further said that it would take a week to file the affidavit. “… and it (affidavit) would not say anything more than what has already been said – which is that the information given to Singh was provided by some officers he has no first-hand information of what transpired,” said Chandrachud.

Even if he (Singh) were to step into the witness box it would have no value in law because it would be what someone else told him, his is hearsay, said Chandrachud adding that he (Singh) has nothing to depose.

Singh has not appeared before the Commission despite it issuing multiple summons and a bailable warrant against him.

On Tuesday too, his lawyer told the commission that Singh will file another affidavit, pertaining to the matter.

His earlier affidavit had said that he does not have any further evidence to share in the matter.

Meanwhile, during his cross examination, Vaze told the Commission that he was not appointed CIU (Central Intelligence Unit) in-charge by Singh.

Shekhar Jagtap, lawyer for Deshmukh’s aide Sanjeev Palande, conducted the cross-examination. Both Deshmukh and Palande are arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged corruption case.

On Jagtap’s question, if between 1990 and 2000 Singh was posted in Thane where Vaze was serving, the dismissed API said that Singh was posted in the Thane SP (rural) office but he did not remember the duration.

Vaze even said that he did not remember working with Singh on any assignments during that period.

Vaze replied in positive when asked whether he met Singh, before the latter was appointed as Mumbai CP.

He even said that during his 17 years of suspension, he was coordinating with Mumbai Police and various other police agencies across India in their investigations.

When asked if he had applied for reinstatement during his suspension, he said he had done so at the instance of then Home Minister Deshmukh.

He even added that it would be incorrect to say his order of reinstatement was issued under the signature of Param Bir Singh. Also, he said he was not appointed as in charge of CIU by Singh.

On a question as to what duties he was given on reinstatement, he said, “The then joint commissioner of police appointed me as head of CIU.”

Vaze’s deposition will continue on Wednesday before the Commission.

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In March, after Singh was shunted out as Mumbai CP and transferred to the Home Guards, he wrote a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray alleging that Deshmukh used to ask police officers to collect money from restaurant and bar owners in Mumbai.

In April, Deshmukh resigned from the post of state home minister. He has repeatedly denied the allegations against him.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are probing the allegations made against Deshmukh by Singh.