Bangalore: Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh today (Feb 16, 2004) said his name is unnecessarily being dragged into the multi-crore fake stamp paper scam and he had no role in it.

Deshmukh told reporters in Bangalore that as a Revenue Minister in 1994 he had forwarded prime accused Abdul Karim Telgi's name to concerned authorities for stamp vendors' licence. This was done at the instance of (former reporter and MLA) Anil Gote, he maintained. At the time, there was "nothing against him (Telgi)", Deshmukh said.

He said he had forwarded the name without checking his (Telgi's) background and in good faith.

But the licence was cancelled a year later after complaints were received against him (Telgi), Deshmukh said.

Meanwhile, asked if the scandal is a "blot" on the Congress Government in Karnataka, where he is in-charge of the party's affairs, Deshmukh replied, "Not at all".

On the contrary, it was because of the State Government's efforts that Telgi could be nabbed and put behind bars, he maintained. The State Government has conducted the enquiry properly, he said. Now, it has handed over the investigation to CBI.