Pune: The Special Investigating Team (SIT), probing the Rs 3,500 crore stamp paper racket case, has arrested Anil Gote, Samajwadi Janata Party (SJP) Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Dhule, under a stringent law of Maharashtra for his alleged role in the crime.

Gote, the first politician to be arrested in the scam, was taken into custody on June 29 night under the provisions of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). He was produced on June 30 before designated judge M N Bondre, who remanded him to police custody till July 14.

Altogether, 25 accused including two policemen and two officers of Nasik-based India Security Press, have been arrested so far in the multi-crore scam.

Gote allegedly had links with prime accused Abdul Karim Telgi and is suspected to have participated in the conspiracy to print counterfeit stamp papers and sell them in the market, thereby causing revenue loss running into several crores of Rupees to the government, SIT sources said.

After Gote's arrest in Pune, cops have begun a thorough search of the MLA's house and offices in Dhule, police said.

On May 3, Gote and his son Tejas were questioned for nearly two hours by SIT for their alleged links with Telgi. Gote, accompanied by his brother-in-law and his son, were interrogated at Ramtekdi. Their statements were also recorded, police said.

According to police sources, Telgi had allegedly donated large amount of money for the development of Shiv Teerth chowk in Dhule by Kisan Vikas Trust set up by Gote, president of Maharashtra SJP unit since 1992.

PTI