MUMBAI: The buried ghost of the fake stamp paper scam resurfaced on Thursday in connection with the appointment of a top city police officer, who allegedly paid bribes to two top politicians -- NCP chief Sharad Pawar and his lieutenant Chhagan Bhujbal.
BJP MLA Anil Gote produced to the media a copy of a report of polygraph test done on a police officer Dilip Kamath, who was arrested in 2003 for providing facilities to Abdul Karim Telgi, kingpin of the the multi-crore scam, in police custody.
The report signed by Dr S Malini, Assistant Director of Bengaluru-situated Forensic Science Laboratory, on February 4, 2005, mentions Kamath’s answers to several questions asked to him.
According to the report, Kamath had said that then city Police Commissioner R S Sharma had paid money to Pawar for his appointment in 2003.
Pawar was not the Union minister at that time. Gote’s act created flutter in the political circle.
Earlier, he had some altercation with NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad in the Vidhan Sabha.
However, the Speaker Haribhau Bagde removed it from the record.
Gote was lodged in Pune’s Yerwada prison for three years for helping Telgi in printing fake stamp papers. He was released in 2007 on bail.
“Yes, I am Telgi’s friend. I did nothing wrong. I have been carrying the report with me since eight years. I was in search of an appropriate opportunity to release it. I got the opportunity today. The report has revealed everything,” he said.
Awhad questioned Gote’s authority to talk about Pawar and Bhujbal. “How can you trust a person who was in jail for three years for helping Telgi?” Awhad asked. Both Pawar and Bhujbal could not be reached for their comments.
Sharma was arrested on the last day of his retirement in the Telgi case, but was later exonerated by a special court.
confession
■ Sharma’s post as Commissioner... (For that) whom did Telgi make payment to?
Recorded remark: He was made (the) CP by making payment to Sharad Pawar.
■ How much and through whom payment made to Bhujbal?
Remark: Payment was made through petrol bunk owners. Payment was made to Bhujbal through Girish Chheda. Kamath said it was 100 per cent accurate. Rs 6 crore was paid by Reliance Ambani and Rs 4 crore was paid by Telgi.
■ How much money did you take when Rs 50 lakh rupees was collected and paid to Sameer Bhujbal (former MP and Bhujbal’s nephew)?
Remark: Out of Rs 50 lakh, Rs 5 lakh was taken by Kamath, Rs 5 lakh was taken by Kishor and Rs 40 lakh was given to Sameer Bhujbal.