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PWD Minister Chhagan Bhujbal rejects

Denying his involvement in the multicrore fake stamp scam, Maharashtra PWD Minister Chhagan Bhujbal today rejected allegations levelled against him by prime accused Abdul Karim Telgi saying there is no truth in the charges.

Asked to comment on the allegations being tape-broadcast by a private television news channel, Mr Bhujbal told UNI that the said video tape of Telgi's narco-analysis test, being played by a news channel, is three years old and had been investigated thoroughly by special investigating team (SIT) of Mumbai police and the Central Bureau of Investigation.

''Even though Telgi was arrested in Karnataka, it was during my tenure as Home Minister (of Maharashtra), his parrallel economy was destroyed by the(Maharashtra) police. He was booked under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). In fact, because of me , he faced the heat. How could I have helped him '' ?, Mr Bhujbal asked.

''Telgi's activities were noticed in 1995 and we were not in power at that time. When we got proof, we acted against him. Earlier, he gave a slip to the police as many as 15 times'', he added.
Mr Bhujbal, who was then the State Deputy Chief MInister, also doubted authencity of the narco-analysis tests.

''Telgi has been taking names of people because of whom he had to face trouble. This is nothing but revenge'', Mr Bhujbal said. Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, whose name also allegedly figures in the tape, is in Delhi and was not available for his reaction.

posted by News India @ 7:01 AM