PUNE, 10 November 2003 — For the third consecutive day yesterday, the multimillion rupees counterfeit stamp and stamp paper racket continued to hog the screens of various television channels and the front pages of newspapers. Tremors of panic were also visible in political circles, as the Special Investigation Team (SIT) spread its dragnet to probe the role of politicians belonging to various parties in the scam.

The SIT has now speeded up its investigations and sent a questionnaire to several politicians, including ministers, bureaucrats and senior and junior police officials. The scam is now estimated to reach the rupees 250,000 million level. This scam is now described as the “Biggest Bank Robbery in India”.

There was no reprieve for the Bombay police commissioner. For the second consecutive day, Ranjeet Singh Sharma appeared this morning at the SIT office in Worli, and was grilled for hours.

He was questioned about his association with tainted Assistant Commissioner of Police Mohammed Chand Mulani and his role of protecting him. Sharma’s interrogation for the second day has led to speculations in the police force that serious trouble may be brewing for him.

However, Sharma appeared to be very confident of getting scot free from the SIT probe. He emerged smiling from the SIT office and met the media. Putting up a brave front, he said that he explained to the SIT his role in the probe. He defended ACP Mulani indirectly, stating that Mulani was just an official of the crime branch and not the investigating officer. Sharma stated that the Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Shamshuddin Miyalal Mushrif was the investigating officer, and thus it was his responsibility to apply the draconian Maharashtra Control of Organized Crimes Act (MCOCA) in the case. By this statement Sharma took upon himself the task of defending all the actions of the Pune police officers involved in the scam, by putting the blame of delaying action against the accused on the additional commissioner of police (crime).

Minister Flays BJP Government for Cut in Haj Subsidy

Muslim Haj pilgrims have refuted the claim of Indian Consul General Syed Akbaruddin in Jeddah that the airfare for Haj has been decreased, and said that the federal government had instead cut the subsidy in Haj travel and increased the fare, making it hard for the poor pilgrims to make the pilgrimage.

Maharashtra Minister of State for Higher Education and Technical Education Anees Ahmed said yesterday, that the cutting of the subsidy by the BJP-led central government was a move to harass the Muslims.

Ahmed said that the airfare has been increased by rupees 20,000 and there was absolutely no justification in increasing this fare suddenly.