Cops walk free in stamp scam case

Pune, June 27 (UNI) After a wait of nearly three and a half years, senior police officials, including former Mumbai Police Commissioner R S Sharma, DCP Pradeep Sawant and PI Vashist Andhale, today walked free as the Special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court here discharged them from the stamp scam case for want of sufficient evidence.

A surprised courtroom heard Judge Chitra Bhedi call out accused no 60 (R S Sharma) and in the same breath, ordered him 'discharged''.

After the verdict, a relieved and happy Sharma said ''I have always maintained my innocence. This victory today has affirmed my faith in the Indian Judicial System.

Sharma alleged that some officers from the Special Investigation Team (SIT) like Additional Director General O P Bali, DIG Subodh Jaiswal and IG S S Puri wanted to pad ''untruths'' about him.

''I was the one who arrested and destroyed Telgi and some others as well. But, the problem started when I wanted to make Telgi's wife an accused in the case, which was resisted. However, she was made an accused following the Apex Court's decision.'' ''After that no stone was left unturned in applying the MCOCA Act against me,'' he claimed.

When asked whether the alleged jealousy of colleagues was on account of the race for the coveted Mumbai Police Commissioner's post, Sharma replied in the affirmative.

To a question whether he would take any action against them, Sharma said he would not like to comment at this point of time but hinted that it would be considered.

Judge Bhedi also discharged accused no 65, DCP Pradeep Sawant of Crime Branch attached to Dharavi Unit V. Although, Sawant refused to speak to the media in detail, he said ''I am happy.'' PI Vashist Andhale too was discharged.

DIG Shridhar Vagal, who was present in the court denied all charges and expectedly, Telgi's lawyer, Rashid Kulkarni, former Samajwadi Janata Paty MLA Anil Gote, PI Dilip Kamat were among those who pleaded ''not guilty''.

A total of 43 of the 68 accused, filed applications to plead guilty to the crime. Two accused have died, while another person is absconding.

Meanwhile, in yet another twist in the tale, Telgi, who had pleaded ''not guilty'' today told the court that he was ready to plead guilty tommorow after ''consulting'' his wife Shahida, who is expected to come to Pune from Bangalore.

The prosecution agency-- the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) --denied that the discharge of the high-profile cops from the case was a ''setback'' to them. CBI Joint Director Rajnikant Mishra said 43 accused had accepted the charges and this meant there had been some merit in the investigation.

UNI