Pune: In a surprise move, the Special Investigating Team (SIT), probing the multi-crore fake stamp paper scam, today (Dec 06, 2003) surrendered the police custody of accused and former Police Commissioner R S Sharma and took him into judicial custody till December 20.

Sharma, arrested on the charge of allegedly shielding prime accused Abdul Karim Telgi, was produced before First Class Judicial Magistrate K M Jaiswal, who remanded him to judicial custody for 15 days on an SIT plea.

Prosecutors Raja Thakre and A Chimalkar told the court that the SIT was busy with the ongoing probe and did not wish to interrogate Sharma at this stage. Therefore, SIT was seeking judicial custody of the accused and would request the court for police remand of Sharma as and when the need arise to question him in the case, they pleaded.

Sharma's lawyer moved an application seeking to admit him in Ruby Hospital, as he was unwell. He said Sharma's blood pressure had shot up and he was not keeping well.

The court did not consider his plea for permission to go to Ruby Hospital. However, the court directed the jail doctor to examine Sharma and file a report about his condition.

If the facilities were not available in jail hospital, only then the accused would be sent to a private hospital for check-up, the court observed.

Sharma was arrested on December 1 and remanded to police custody till December 9. His police custody was cut short today and he was remanded to judicial custody.

PTI