Maharashtra directs Mumbai police chief to probe Param Bir-Waze meeting

The Maharashtra government on Tuesday ordered a probe into the meeting between former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh and dismissed police officer Sachin Waze, on Monday when Singh had appeared before an inquiry commission here.

Singh and Waze are co-accused in an extortion case in Mumbai.

Waze is in judicial custody and as per the rules he is not supposed to meet anyone. I have instructed Mumbai police commissioner Hemant Nagrale to probe the matter, Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil told reporters on Tuesday.

Objecting to Singh, the DG of Home Guards who remained absent in office for long before resurfacing last week to face the investigation in cases of extortion, using a government vehicle for his movements, Walse Patil said this matter will also be probed.

"Such meeting between Waze and Param Bir Singh is absolutely wrong. Waze can be met only with the permission of the court. But it seems he has not obtained any such permission to meet Waze," the home minister said.

The alleged meeting took place on Monday in an adjoining room on the second floor of a building housing Singh' office in south Mumbai when he appeared before Justice Chandiwal (retired) Commission probing the allegations of corruption levelled by him against the then state home minister Anil Deshmukh.

Waze was brought there for cross-examination.

According to sources, Singh and Waze spoke to each other for more than 30 minutes, and an objection to this was raised with the panel by the lawyer of Deshmukh.

Though Walse Patil admitted that Singh and Waze met in a room for some time, he did not specify the duration of this meeting.

The home minister also expressed his disappointment over Singh using an official vehicle for his movements.

It is wrong on the part of Param Bir Singh to use the official vehicle. He is not even on duty and facing very serious charges. This matter will be probed as well, he added.

The Mumbai police had on Monday recorded the statements of four personnel who had escorted Waze, after the meeting between him and Singh caused a flutter.

The one-member commission has been set up by the state government to probe allegations of corruption levelled against Deshmukh by Singh after the latter was removed as Mumbai police commissioner.

Waze has been appearing before the commission for his cross-examination in connection with the case.

Both Waze and Singh are also co-accused in an extortion case filed in Goregaon. The former is also in jail in connection with the Antilia bomb scare-Mansukh Hiran murder case.