Bangalore: Karnataka Government today (Dec 26, 2003) decided to hand over the multi-crore fake stamp paper scam to CBI for probe, it was officially announced in Bangalore.

The decision to seek CBI probe into the scandal was taken at the five-hour-long Cabinet meeting that debated the issue threadbare.

Emerging from the meeting, Home Minister M Mallikarjun Kharge, addressing a press conference, said, "The State Cabinet has decided to hand over the case to CBI with a view to constructively respond to the Centre's plea for an investigation by a centralised agency."

"It is in the national interest when the Union Government is going before the Supreme Court requesting that the cases relating to the scam come under an umbrella for investigation." In pursuant of this, the State has taken the decision, he said.

Kharge said the State concurred with the objective of the Centre that the case being investigated and tried by Karnataka should not "suffer from the debility of double jeopardy".

The decision of the State would be brought to the notice of the Supreme Court accordingly when the matter comes up for hearing on January 8, he said.

Kharge made it clear that the decision to refer the scam for CBI probe was not taken under pressure or out of fear.

On December 19, Union Finance Minister Jaswant Singh said in Rajya Sabha that the Government would request the Supreme Court for an investigation into the racket by a centralised agency.