The Supreme Court on Thursday, 18 November, asked absconding former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh to disclose his whereabouts before agreeing to hear his plea for protection against arrest.
"Where is Param Bir Singh?" a Supreme Court bench asked when the petitions filed by him came before them, reported LiveLaw.
"If you are sitting abroad and approaching the court... If the court gives a favourable order only then he’ll come back. It might be so," Justice Kaul said.
The bench asked his lawyer to first reveal the IPS officer's whereabouts, making it clear that no hearing will take place and no protection will be granted if its query about location is not answered.
The matter has now been posted for Monday, 22 November.
On Wednesday, 17 November, a Mumbai court said that Singh can be declared an "absconder" in connection with the extortion case. The Mumbai Police can now designate him a wanted accused and start the process of declaring him a fugitive.
If Singh fails to appear before the court within 30 days, proceedings can be put into motion for attachment of his properties, another LiveLaw report said.
Singh has also been declared a ‘proclaimed offender’ in the extortion case.
Maharashtra Govt Says Singh is 'Not Traceable'
On 20 October, the Maharashtra government had informed the Bombay High Court that the whereabouts of Singh were not known.
“In view of other developments, we are getting reports that he is not traceable. Therefore, we cannot give a statement in this matter,” Senior Advocate Darius Khambata, representing the state government had said.
Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil had flagged reports that Singh had gone on leave from his post of DG Home Guards citing ill health on 5 May. Since there is suspicion that he may have left the country, a lookout notice was also issued.
(With inputs from LiveLaw.)
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