Mumbai: The CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) today (Oct 8, 2004) raided residences of five police officers of Maharashtra at Mumbai, Thane and Nasik in connection with the multi-crore fake stamp paper scam.

The investigating agency raided the residence of senior inspector D K Ghule at Panvel, sub inspector H M Vichare of Mumbai Crime Branch, inspector, Anil Deshmuk of Nasik city and sub inspector R M Powar at Ambad in Nasik district today, CBI sources said.

The raids were conducted in connection with two cases of fake stamp registered by the Thane and Nasik police against the prime accused Abdul Karim Telgi, which these officials are alleged to have not pursued properly, the sources alleged.

The CBI, which is investigating nearly 40 SIT cases and those registered by various police stations in Maharashtra against Telgi, came across irregularities in the investigations of these two cases recently.

The two cases were brought under the preview of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) by the CBI on Sep 30, 2004 and have booked Telgi as prime accused, sources added.

CBI sources said that the decision to book these officials under MCOCA will be taken depending on the seizures on the raids today and the evidence that comes in the investigations ahead.