Mumbai, November 27
The Bombay High Court today ordered the Maharashtra Government to file a chargesheet against former Mumbai Police Commissioner Ranjit Singh Sharma for his alleged acts of omission and commission in the multi-crore fake stamp paper scam masterminded by forger Abdul Karim Telgi.
The court’s order came after the Special Investigating Team (SIT) set up to probe the scam presented its final report before the High Court today.
The court is yet to decide whether the case is to be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation. At present, the investigations are being carried out by the SIT on the directions of the High Court.
While the Central Government has asked the Maharashtra Government to hand over the investigations to the CBI, the state government decided on this only recently, subject to getting the go-ahead from the court.
The petitioners, including social worker Anna Hazare, are keen on the case being handled by the SIT and not by the CBI.
“Both Maharashtra and Karnataka have formed separate bodies to deal with the case. And they are doing a good job, so there is no need for any change,” said Mr Ashwin Bhalekar, lawyer for the petitioners. Sources in the Maharashtra Government said the process to chargesheet Mr Ranjit Sharma had begun.
Mr Sharma went on leave after the SIT investigating the stamp paper scam provided nine instances of omission and
commission by him before the High Court.The Maharashtra Government had transferred Mr Sharma to the post of Chief Vigilance Officer of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation a few days ago. Earlier, the court had specifically asked the SIT to probe allegations that Mr Sharma had hampered investigations during his tenure as Pune police chief two years ago, when the scam surfaced.
The SIT is working independently of the Maharashtra Government. This was after Anna Hazare filed a public suit urging that allegations against senior police officers should be investigated.
According to unofficial estimates by police officials here, the stamp scam masterminded by forger Abdul Karim Telgi is said to be to the tune of between Rs 170 billion and Rs 220 billion.
The High Court had ordered that the investigations should be handled by the SIT after it was revealed that top police officials allowed Telgi to go home in the upmarket Cuffe Parade neighbourhood and enjoy comforts like hotel food when he should have been in jail. Telgi also continued with his fake stamp paper business when he was supposedly in police custody.
The involvement of a number of companies that had procured forged documents from Telgi is being investigated, police officials said. These include multinational banks and financial institutions.
Investigators are also probing the role of politicians in the scam. Two MLAs, one from Maharashtra and another from Andhra Pradesh, have so far been arrested. More arrests are likely, said officials.
PUNE (UNI): A local court on Thursday rejected the plea for sub-cell facilities for suspended IGP Shridhar Vagal, arrested in connection with the stamp paper scam, and extended his magisterial custody till December 10.
Judicial Magistrate M.N. Bondre rejected the application for Class-I facilities for Mr Vagal. Defence lawyer Ashwin Naik had earlier asked for sub-cell facilities in view of a threat from the underworld and the jail staff to Mr Vagal. Mr Naik also said the sub-cell should have facilities according to his position and education. Mr Bondre also rejected the plea for the possession of four guns seized earlier by the police from Mr Vagal’s car. The defence had moved an application earlier to renew the licences for the possession of his guns.
