Sameer Bhujbal fails to appear before SIT

Former Maharashtra deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal's nephew and Nationalist Congress Party's Mumbai unit general secretary Sameer Bhujbal failed to appear before the Special Investigation Team on Wednesday.

He had been summoned in connection with the fake stamp paper racket. After failing to comply, Sameer had requested the SIT to give him time till January 19 but was told to appear on or before January 14.

Also Read SIT grants Sameer time till January 14

The SIT is likely ask him about allegations that huge sums of money changed hands during transfers of senior police officials by the state home ministry and whether stamp scam prime accused Abdul Karim Telgi had any role in those transfer.

One such controversial transfer is that of Inspector Jahid who was attached to the Cyber Cell of the Mumbai Crime Branch and was probing a case involving Telgi. He was shunted to Nagpur allegedly to derail the investigation.

Director General of Police (CID) T K Choudhary had already questioned in this connection as he was Additional DGP (Establishment) when Jahid was transferred.

S K Bankar, former private secretary to Chhagan Bhujbal, also had been questioned by SIT in this matter.

Sameer alleged had close links with Antim Totla, who had reportedly come to the rescue of the NCP when there was a move to topple the Vilasrao Deshmukh-led Democratic Front government in 2002. Totla reportedly hosted DF legislators in Bangalore at Telgi's bidding to prevent them from defecting to the opposition ranks.