Stamp paper scam: Naidu for CBI probe
By Our Special Correspondent
http://www.thehindu.com/2003/09/10/stories/2003091004080600.htm
He also decided to institute an inquiry by a senior IPS officer, Kamal Kumar, now serving as Managing Director of the A.P. Police Housing Corporation, into the role of the police in the inter-State scam. His brief would be to verify whether there was wilful delay in investigations by any senior police officer and even there was collusion with the scamsters.
Mr. Naidu's action is seen as a response to a spate of media reports that police officers at the highest level, particularly those in the CBCID, procrastinated during the four-year-long investigations in order to shield the culprits.
He gave a clean chit to the Additional DG, CID, M. L. Kumawat, by saying that he had taken over charge only last year and described him as `one of the best officers.'
He, however, disowned Krishna Yadav, who has been since been suspended from the Telugu Desam Party. He said there appeared to be clinching evidence with the police in the form of an audio tape in which Yadav allegedly tried to extract money from the kingpin of the racket, Abdul Karim Telgi.
Mr. Naidu justified his request for a CBI probe on the ground that the racket, involving sale of fake special adhesive stamps, share transfer, broker note and insurance stamps had inter-State implications.
Telgi's gang involved in 27 cases in Maharashtra, Karnataka, AP, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, MP, Gujarat, Chandigarh and West Bengal.
His Government had earlier asked the CBI to take up the investigations into the fake stamps racket in August 2002 but the latter sought certain clarifications which were issued in the form of a Government Order on July 15 this year. He refused to attribute any motives to the CBI's indifference except remarking that "I do not know its priorities''.
Giving a chronology of events ever since a case was registered in Begum Bazar police station in August 1999, he said the Government had been taking timely action to unearth the scam and prevent circulation of fake stamps.
He had written letters to the then Union Finance Minister, Yashwant Sinha, and his successor, Jaswanth Singh, to plug loopholes in the Indian Stamp Act.
Answering a barrage of questions at a crowded press conference, Mr. Naidu justified the failure of A.P. police in investigating Yadav's links with Telgi.
The Maharashtra police had maintained utmost confidentiality in the matter and the State police remained in the dark even when Krishna Yadav was hauled to Pune for comparing his voice with that in the tapes seized from Karim Telgi. "We also do not inform the Maharashtra police when we go and investigate in Mumbai,'' he revealed.
Mr. Naidu attributed the allegations about the involvement of several TDP Ministers and MLAs in the scam to unconfirmed reports in the media but offered to take tough disciplinary action if anyone was found to have a hand.
He quoted the Maharashtra DGP as saying that no more politicians or policemen from AP were involved. He said the SIT team from Maharashtra was in the City only to collect further evidence against Krishna Yadav.
Earlier, addressing a party meeting, he called upon TDP leaders to give top priority to probity in public life and not to succumb to weaknesses.
He said the party leadership would have taken action even earlier if it knew of Yadav's links with Karim Telgi.
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