While former municipal commissioner S Jagadeesan had suspended Dr Sinha last year on the charges of financial irregularities, the standing committee, then headed by Ajay Choksi, had promptly endorsed the order.

After suspending Sinha, the standing committee then ordered an inquiry against him. Interestingly, the two-member committee -- comprising Dr K C Mehta and advocate J D Desai -- which was to submit the report within three months, had failed to initiate the inquiry even a year after being formed.

Standing committee chairman Natu Soma Patel told reporters that the inquiry will however continue and would now conducted by Dr Mehta alone as Desai had expressed his ``inability'' to be part of the investigation team. Mehta will submit his report within 90 days.