Ahmednagar, June 14: Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare today charged Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal with trying to "cover up" the multi-crore stamp paper scam in order to save the culprits. Despite Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani's suggestion to hand over the case to CBI, Bhujbal has not paid any heed to his advice, Hazare said.
"Senior police officials connected with the case are trading charges against each other, thereby spoiling the image of the department," he said. Hazare's PIL seeking implementation of report of Subodh Jaiswal Committee on investigations into the multi-crore stamp paper racket involving prime accused Abdul Karim Telgi, would be heard by Mumbai High Court on July 2.
"R S Sharma, the then police commissioner of Pune, was transferred to Mumbai by Bhujbal to save him," Hazare alleged. Citing instances of transfers of "honest officers" like Ratnakar Gaikwad and Neela Satyanarayan, the social worker said it showed the “mentality and inclinations of the rulers".
"I am certain that only the judiciary can check such tendencies. And hence I have filed the PIL," Hazare added.
To a question why he did not take legal recourse till now the social worker said, "Legal course is costly. But now, the state lawyers' association has supported the cause and two leading lawyers have agreed to work free of cost in this case." Bureau Report