Mumbai: Maharashtra Government today (Dec 15, 2003) moved the Mumbai High Court, saying it was ready to hand over the probe into the multi-crore fake stamp paper racket to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

An application for handing over the probe to the CBI was filed by advocate general Goolam Vahanvati before Chief Justice C K Thakker and Justice Abhay Oke.

The application said such a plea was being made in deference to the wishes of senior legislators of the State legislature.

The application said that Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani had also asked the Maharashtra Government to hand over the probe to the CBI.

It further stated that Maharashtra Governor Mohammed Fazal has also written a letter to Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde to transfer the probe to the CBI.

The State pleaded that it had no objection if the probe was handed over to the CBI.

The court would decide on the application on Wednesday after hearing CBI and several petitioners, who had filed a public interest litigation (PIL), challenging lopsided probe into the fake stamp-paper scam.

Along with advocate general, Special Counsel Rui Rodrigues and Government pleader B R Patil also appeared.

On the last occasion, the court had put on hold the plea of a petitioner to transfer the case to the CBI and asked the special investigation team to continue the probe for time being and adjourned the matter to January 16.

However, the court had granted liberty to the state and others to move the court earlier if any contingency arises. In view of this liberty the state today filed an application before the court urging it to transfer the case to CBI.

PTI



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