Mumbai: In a pre-dawn swoop, the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) today (Oct 8, 2004) arrested four policemen, including two senior police officers, in Maharashtra for allegedly abusing their official position and aiding fake stamp scamster Abdul Karim Telgi in spreading his network in the State.

Armed with arrest and search warrants from a Special MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) court, sleuths of CBI's Economic Offence Wing raided the residences of the police officials in Mumbai, Thane and Nasik in the wee hours, CBI sources said.

The four cops senior inspectors D K Ghule at Panvel, Anil Deshmukh (already under suspension), sub inspector H M Vichare of Mumbai Crime Branch and sub inspector R M Powar at Ambad in Nasik district were arrested and would be produced before the designated court tomorrow (Oct 9, 2004), they said.

This is the first arrest made by the CBI in Maharashtra State after taking over the investigation of 40 cases of fake stamp paper on the directions of the Supreme Court.

CBI alleged these four officers connived with Telgi and did not pursue the case properly and instead targeted the rival gang of the scamster, thus facilitating the spread of his network in the State.

The agency charged these officials had also arrested rival gang members at the behest of Telgi.

The CBI, during searches, said it has seized certain documents relating to investments and properties, two mobile phones and a licensed revolver, the sources said.