The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : 100 witnesses examined in fake stamp paper case

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Aug 14, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

100 witnesses examined in fake stamp paper case

By K.T. Sangameswaran

CHENNAI, AUG. 13. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has so far examined more than 100 witnesses in the "fake stamp paper scam" case in which a Tamil Nadu Deputy Inspector-General of Police, A.P. Mohamed Ali, and two others figure as accused. Witnesses include senior officials of the State Crime Branch Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID), which probed the stamp paper case in 2002, CBI sources told The Hindu .

After nearly 45 days of the arrest of Mr. Ali; a Deputy Superintendent of Police, S. Sankar, and a Life Insurance Corporation administrative officer, R. Sadhu, the CBI now has a 45-day deadline for laying the charge sheet before court. Efforts were on to file it at the earliest, the sources said.

The agency is investigating two stamp paper-related cases in Tamil Nadu, one being Abdul Karim Telgi's operations in the State and the other one probed earlier by the CB-CID. On March 23 this year, the CBI took over a case registered by the CB-CID on January 10, 2002. In that case Nizamuddin, a city-based doctor, and others were cited as accused. The FIR was for offences under Sections including 467 and 259 of the IPC.

Remand extended

Today, on expiry of judicial remand, Mr. Ali, Mr. Sankar and Mr. Sadhu were produced before the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, D. Arulraj, who extended the remand till August 27.

The Additional CMM wanted to know at what stage the case was and the CBI public prosecutor, Jacob Daniel, said 40 witnesses, including "crucial witnesses" were examined so far after the last remand date (July 30). They fortified the case against the three accused, the prosecutor said submitting the statements and the case-diary (CD) files. The agency had to examine more witnesses.

Ali's plea

When the Additional CMM asked Mr. Ali whether he had anything to say, he said that as the CBI did not submit the relevant documents then and there, he was not able to defend himself. Raising objections for extending the remand, Mr. Ali prayed for a direction to the CBI to produce a transcript of the alleged tape-recorded conversation of Telgi.

The prosecutor said all statements and a search list were placed before the court. They were being taken back with its permission for investigation. Mr. Sankar said he, as the CB-CID investigating officer earlier, did his duty properly. Mr. Sadhu sought proper medical treatment.

After perusing the documents, the Additional CMM extended the remand.

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