BJP, NCP legislators trade charges over Telgi fake stamp paper scam

MUMBAI: Two MLAs belonging to ruling BJP and Opposition NCP today engaged in spat over the multi-crore Telgi fake stamp paper scam, hurling charges at each other within and outside the Maharashtra Assembly.

NCP legislator Jitendra Awhad, speaking to reporters outside Vidhan Bhawan, alleged that BJP MLA Anil Gote had links with the stamp paper scam kingpin Abdul Karim Telgi.

Gote, who hails from Dhule district, countered the charge by alleging Telgi's narco test had revealed that senior NCP leader and then Home Minister Chhagan Bhujbal was paid a hefty sum for getting a particular police officer appointed as Mumbai Police Commissioner for the probe.

Speaking to reporters outside the Vidhan Bhawan, the BJP lawmaker also alleged that a corporate entity had paid substantial sum for the same.

Earlier, the two legislators had traded charges in the Legislative Assembly over the Telgi scam, leading to noisy scenes and adjournment of the House for 10 minutes.

Speaker Haribhau Bagde ruled that he will study the adversary remarks and then decide on expunging them from record of the House proceedings. A Vidhan Bhawan official later said the entire remarks on the issue have been expunged from the proceedings.

The fake stamp and stamp paper scam, better known as the Telgi scam, came to light over a decade ago and its tentacles had spread to nearly a dozen States.

The scam involved printing and sale of counterfeit stamps and stamp papers by a crime syndicate led by Telgi, who was later convicted and sentenced to multiple years in jail.