Mumbai Magistrate Court cancels Second non-bailable warrant against Param Bir Singh

A Mumbai court has cancelled the second non-bailable warrant issued against former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh after Singh cooperated in investigations in connection with an extortion case filed against him. For the purpose of understanding it may be noted that a non-bailable offence does not mean that bail cannot be granted. In case of non bailable offences the bail can be granted by the courts and the courts have to use their discretion while granting bail in non-bailable offences. In bailable offences, one can seek bail at the time of arrest by police as a matter of right subject to compliance of certain formalities. Regarding the procedure and steps for issuance of non-bailable warrants reference shall be made to Sections 70 to 81 of the Cr. P.C.

The Magistrate went through the documents attached with Mr Singh’s application which had the Supreme Court order as well as a document showing that Singh had attended the investigation. So the court felt it is appropriate to recall the NBW. Hence it is called back.

This is the second NBW against Singh that has been cancelled. Earlier, the Thane court, which had also issued the NBW, had passed similar orders for cancelling the warrant after Singh attended the investigation there.

The Eighth metropolitan magistrate court in Mumbai had issued the third Non Bailable Warrant (NBW) against Singh earlier this month. The third NBW that was issued against Singh was in the case registered at Marine Drive police station of extortion from a businessman, a few months ago. This is being investigated by Maharashtra Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

Earlier, the Supreme Court on November 22 granted former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh protection from arrest and directed him to join the investigation against him after he said he was “very much in the country” and not fled abroad. A total of five cases of extortion have been filed against Singh, of which three cases are being investigated by the state CID and probes of two other FIRs are with the Mumbai and Thane police.