Pune, Nov 13: The Joint Commissioner of Police (Intelligence) Sridhar Vagal, arrested for his alleged complicity in multi-crore fake stamp paper racket, was today remanded to magisterial custody till November 27. Vagal, holding the rank of Inspector General of Police and the first IPS officer to be booked under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), was produced before the court on expiry of his police remand.

He was arrested on November 7 in Mumbai for his alleged role in "shielding" the prime accused Abdul Karim Telgi and granting him special favours, brought to Pune, produced before the court and remanded to police custody. Vagal's arrest comes after Mumbai High Court appointed former Director General of Police S S Puri to head the Special Investigating Team (SIT) set up to probe the scam.

Vagal is accused of misusing and abusing his position when he was the Joint Commissioner of Police to ensure that the prime accused in the scam Abdul Karim Telgi was not punished.

He is also charged with fabricating evidence to save Telgi and allegedly received Rs 72 lakh from him through a police officer who already is in jail in this case. Vagal was lodged in lock-up at cantonment police station. For interrogation he was taken to SIT offices at Ramtekdi and Hadapsar.

Bureau Report