PUNE, 8 November 2003 — In a dramatic move which created a political upheaval in the Democratic Front government and police circles, the Special Investigating Team (SIT) arrested a top police official, joint commissioner of police CID, Sridhar S. Vagal late last evening in Bombay under the draconian Maharashtra Control of Criminal Activities Act (MCOCA) and whisked him to Pune to be presented before a MCOCA court. Vagal was arrested for conniving with 120,000 million rupees fake stamp scam accused Abdul Karim Telgi.
The arrest of Vagal sent shock waves among the police. The SIT raided the residences of Vagal and his friend in Bombay and Pune. It is alleged that Vagal had received 900 million rupees from the fake stamp accused. He was also alleged to have protected some arrested police officials of the crime branch in this case.
According to a police source contacted by Arab News late last evening, the SIT had suspected Vagal of being involved in the case, but avoided arresting him for nearly a month to investigate his involvement thoroughly.
The accused was anticipating arrest and had applied for anticipatory bail, the source said.
The arrest of the accused caused panic in the Congress and NCP camps and Home Minister Chhagan Bhujbal and Minister of State for Home Rajendra Darda were briefing the media stating that the government was not trying to shield any person involved in the scam.
Vagal was summoned before S.S. Puri, the chief of the SIT yesterday afternoon, who interrogated him thoroughly. As the accused failed to give satisfactory replies, it was decided to arrest him.
