K'taka Lok Ayukta asks Govt to probe sale of stamp papers

Bangalore, Mar 14 (UNI) Karnataka Lok Ayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde today asked the State Government to conduct an inquiry into the sale of stamp papers through banks, fearing another Telgi-like scam in the State.

Launching an e-stamping programme here, he said he had received an alert from the CBI that banks might be involved in another scam.

He had sent a report to the Government on the possible scam by the banks, which have been authorised to sell stamp papers from 2003, following the multi-crore Telgi stamp paper scam.

The banks on their own were illegally printing stamp papers at their printing press and releasing them to unauthorised persons with no accountability to the Government, Mr Justice Hegde alleged.

Naming five nationalised banks, including the State Bank of India, he said the Government should immediately regularise the sale of stamp papers.

UNI SIV GD RL DS1512