4 cops held; Cong targets Advani

The four cops — senior inspectors D.K. Ghule at Panvel, Anil Deshmukh (already under suspension), Sub-Inspector H.M. Vichare of Mumbai crime branch and Sub- Inpsector R.M. Powar at Ambad in Nasik district — were arrested and would be produced before the designated court tomorrow, they said.

This is the first arrest made by the CBI in Maharashtra state after taking over the investigation of 40 cases of fake stamp paper on the directions of the Supreme Court.

CBI alleged these officers connived with Telgi and did not pursue the case properly and instead targeted the rival gang of the scamster, thus facilitating the spread of his network. The agency charged that these officials had arrested rival gang members at the behest of Telgi.

The CBI, during searches, said it has seized certain documents relating to investments and properties, two mobile phones and a licensed revolver, the sources said.

Meanwhile, the Congress today called for an investigation into the reported allegations of Telgi’s lawyer against BJP leader L.K. Advani. Abhishek Singhvi said that without positioning himself either way on the allegations being correct or not, he only wished to state that they required a close scrutiny. Abdul Rehman, who claims being Telgi’s lawyer, had alleged that he had levelled charges against former Maharashtra Dy CM Chhagan Bhujbal and Karnataka minister Roshan Baig at the instance of Advani.