Stamp paper racket: Shinde rules out CBI inquiry

Asserting that the Special Investigating Team was doing a good job in the probe into the multi-crore stamp paper racket, Maharashtra Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Monday ruled out handing over the probe to the CBI.

"The SIT has even arrested an official of the rank of Inspector General and interrogated Mumbai Police Commissioner R S Sharma. There is no need to take away the case from them," he told reporters in Mumbai.

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Secondly, he pointed out that the Bombay high court is supervising the probe, which means the state government cannot take a unilateral decision.

The SIT's report on Sharma's role in the racket, submitted to him, is confidential and Shinde said he could not disclose its contents before filing the action taken report in court.

In the wake of the involvement of several policemen in the racket, the chief minister intends to revamp the entire force.

Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal said the decision to appoint Mumbai's next police commissioner would be taken jointly by him and the chief minister. "We don't want to give wrong signals by announcing decisions without consulting each other," he said.

Meanwhile, the Delhi police, which has arrested nine persons involved in the racket, has procured a production warrant against prime accused Abdul Karim Telgi from a local court.

The warrant against Telgi, and four of his associates, has been procured with the intention of interrogating him, particularly about his operations in the capital, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Economic Offences Wing) Dinesh Bhatt said on Monday.

Sources said the Delhi police's earlier efforts to take Telgi into custody had failed after their Maharashtra counterparts resisted by issuing a circular that the accused could not be taken out of the state.

"At that time, he used to receive special treatment at the hands of the Maharashtra police. But now, the situation has changed and we hope we will get his custody," they said. At present, Telgi is in the custody of the Karnataka police.

Police expect some more arrests in connection with the scam after two of Telgi's associates - Sushant Kumar Dass and Lalit Patodi - were arrested by the Crime Branch's Economic Offences Wing in Delhi last week.

Earlier, the EOW had arrested seven members, including a brother of Lalit Patodi, in October last year and recovered Indian postal stamps, foreign stamps and non-judicial stamp papers worth around Rs 220 crore.