The Hindu : Plea for CBI probe into fake stamp paper scam admitted

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 25, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Plea for CBI probe into fake stamp paper scam admitted

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, FEB. 24. A public interest litigation petition seeking Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into seizure of fake stamp papers with a face value of crores of rupees, alleging that two senior CB-CID officials helped some main suspects to escape, was admitted by the Madras High Court today. A Division Bench comprising Justice V.S. Sirpurkar and Justice F.M. Ibrahim Kalifulla admitted the petition by S. Subramaniam Balaji and ordered notices to the Home Secretary, the Director-General and the CBI, among others, returnable in a week. Though the Bench ordered notices returnable in two weeks, recording that there was "no representation for any of the respondents", the public prosecutor, I. Subramaniam, mentioned the matter in the afternoon and got the rule nisi revised to one week.

Mr. Subramaniam submitted that the Supreme Court was already seized of the multicrore stamp paper scam and that the CBI asked the Tamil Nadu Government to supply the case details within two weeks. Posting the matter for Monday next, the Bench asked the Government to reply to the CBI communique.

CBI letter

In a communication, addressed to the DGP, I.K. Govind, the CBI referred to a batch of PILs pending in the Supreme Court praying for transfer of investigations into the stamp paper scam from various States to the CBI. It also pointed out that on February 3, 2004, the apex court directed "all the States to supply the number and particulars of such cases, which the States want to be investigated by the CBI within two weeks."

Suggesting a proforma "for the sake of uniformity of information supplied by the States," the note said, "it is, therefore, requested that complete details of such cases in your State, which may be required to be investigated by the CBI, may be supplied to us, within two weeks as directed by the apex court." The letter, signed by a Joint Director, is dated February 9. In his PIL, Mr. Balaji had named two senior officials and alleged that they connived with the accused and let them go with minor charges. Stating that the officials continued to serve the CB-CID still, he said, "It is unlikely that any further investigation by the agency will yield any fruitful result."

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