Mumbai, December 19
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal has asked Deputy Prime Minister L. K. Advani to investigate allegations that he was involved in the multi-crore fake stamp paper racket masterminded by Abdul Karim Telgi.
Mr Bhujbal, who was informed of the allegations made by Telgi’s lawyer before Mr Advani and President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam in Nagpur on the last day of the Maharashtra legislature’s Winter Session, told reporters that the allegations were being made to help the alleged scamster escape the law.
“Telgi is making the allegations to sabotage the probe,” Mr Bhujbal told reporters. The Deputy Chief Minister added that he had written to Mr Advani to initiate a probe into the charges made by Mr Abdul Rahman, Telgi’s lawyer, on Friday. “The Central Government has the investigation machinery to initiate a probe and must do so,” Mr Bhujbal said even as the Opposition raised a clamour for his resignation.
After meeting with Mr Advani, Telgi’s lawyer told television channels in Delhi that he feared for the life of his client and sought the government’s protection.
Meanwhile, a PTI report said that Telgi underwent a lie detector test in Bangalore after the Bombay High Court allowed the Special Investigating Team to conduct the scientific tests on him and seven others.
Meanwhile, a section of the Nationalist Congress Party in Maharashtra is pressing for the removal of Mr Bhujbal as the leader of the party in the state legislature. Sources say, the powerful Maratha lobby long aggrieved with the Deputy Chief Minister is pushing the candidature of Public Works Minister Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil in his place.
However, a section of the NCP MLAs, including Energy Minister Dilip Valse-Patil and Health Minister Digvijay Khanvilkar, have decided to stand by Mr Bhujbal.
The opposition Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party combine in Maharashtra is, however, targeting Mr Bhujbal individually instead of taking on the coalition government headed by Mr Sushilkumar Shinde of the Congress. Mr Shinde sought to buy peace with the opposition legislators and the powerful Vidarbha lobby within the Congress and NCP parties by announcing a massive Rs 748-crore aid.
