In addition, an offence under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and Protection of Civil Rights Act too has been registered against him at Bazarpeth police station. Manere is also named as an accused in the offences registered at Bazarpeth police station and in Kopri for extortion, corruption and under the SC/ST Act.
Further, the order cites among the reasons “certain irregularities and lapses” committed by Singh, including unauthorized absence from duty. Singh has been on unauthorized leave from August 29.
While three courts had issued non-bailable warrants against Singh following the offences that were lodged, another court had declared him a proclaimed offender.
During the period of suspension, Singh shall be paid a subsistence allowance, dearness allowance and other allowances as admissible under rule 4 of All India Services rules, 1969, on production of certificate that he is not engaged in any other employment or business. His headquarters will be the DGP’s office, and he shall not leave the HQ without the DGP’s permission, the rules state. Any breach of conditions will be liable for action.
Singh was appointed Mumbai CP on March 1. He was shunted out to the home guards branch as DG on March 17 in the wake of the Antilia bomb scare. It was then alleged by the state that Singh suppressed key information on the episode.
A few days after he was shifted, Singh wrote a letter to CM Uddhav Thackeray levelling allegations against then home minister Anil Deshmukh. Singh alleged Deshmukh had asked (now-dismissed) police officer Sachin Waze to mobilize Rs 100 crore a month from 1,750-odd restaurants and bars in the city.
Following Singh’s letter, Deshmukh quit the MVA cabinet, while the state government set up a one-man commission presided over by Justice K U Chandiwal, a former judge of Bombay high court, to probe allegations made by Singh. Singh has now submitted before the commission that his letter was based on hearsay and on information given by subordinates and colleagues. The Chandiwal commission too had issued bailable warrants against Singh, but he was not traced. The state CID informed the commission that it made relentless efforts to trace the ex-CP, but did not succeed.
A senior IPS official reacted sharply, saying the suspension was long-awaited. “The law-enforcing agencies have given him a long rope. Even after the state CID issued a lookout notice against him on July 12, it failed to keep track of him. Dilip Walse Patil must fix responsibility for why Singh was not traced. Singh arrived on the scene only after SC granted him protection from arrest on November 21,” he said.