Maha govt moves SC against Param Bir Singh; says he withheld facts & isn't a whistleblower

The Maharashtra government on Saturday challenged Param Bir Singh's Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court. The government 'denied each and every allegation, statement and averment' made by the suspended cop, pointing out that it was 'contrary to and inconsistent' with all the facts.

'No knowledge of conversation between  DGP Sanjay Pandey & Param Bir Singh'

Param Bir Singh in the Special Leave Petition alleged that the current DGP Sanjay Pandey had offered him a deal to withdraw his complaint. He further alleged that he was 'forced to withdraw corruption charges' against former Maharashtra home minister and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh.

Maharashtra government, however, has made it clear that it had 'no knowledge' of the conversation between DGP Sanjay Pandey and Param Bir Singh. "In the event that any such conversations/communications took place, they are of a purely personal nature between the Petitioner (Param Bir Singh) and Respondent No. 3 (Sanjay Pandey) and have taken place without the knowledge, consent, or any kind of authorization from the Respondent No. 1 (Maharashtra government) and were not at the instance of Respondent No. 1 (Maharashtra government)," the government said.

'Param Bir not a whistleblower'

Contrary to what is stated in the Special Leave Petition, the Maharashtra government has also denied that Param Bir is a whistleblower. Pointing out that Param Bir has cited instances of alleged corruption that took place a few months prior to March 2021 but only sought to expose these allegations on March 20, 2021 (three days after he was transferred), the Maharashtra government said, "Thus, it is denied that the Petitioner's letter dated March 20, 2021, was issued in the public interest or for a bona fide purpose and therefore it is denied that the Petitioner is a whistleblower."

The government concluded, "In the circumstances, I state and submit that no case is made out by the Petitioner for grant of any interim reliefs and that the Special Leave Petition ought to be dismissed with costs." 

With the Special Leave Petition, Param Bir Singh had approached the Supreme Court seeking protection from arrest and other reliefs, which was granted by a bench comprising Justices S K Kaul and M M Sundresh on November 22. Further notices were issued to the Maharashtra government and CBI and the matter was posted for hearing on December 6.

Image: PTI/CMOMaharashta/@Twitter