Jaisalmer, Nov 26: Union Finance Minister Jaswant Singh today said the ministry had an inkling of the multi-crore fake stamp paper scam and the states were also warned. "The Finance Ministry had a slight indication of the stamp paper bungling in the past and the states were warned too but it was very sad that it occurred so widely," Singh told reporters here.
Although the Finance Ministry has handed over the probe to CBI, it was unfortunate that the Maharashtra and Karnataka governments were avoiding it, he said.
"The Finance Ministry has set up a probe team and asked the concerned states to file reply for the last seven months but to no avail," he said.
Singh said if any official of any cadre including the IAS found guilty in the scam would be removed immediately.
"Any transaction on such forged stamp papers could be checked if it was part of any inquiry, but by and large the citizens who had such deeds or contracts would not be harassed," the Minister said.
Bureau Report