Tuesday, April 19 2005 19:58 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: Seven people, arrested in the multi- crore fake stamp paper scam, including former police officers and politicians, have sought bail from the Bombay High Court.

Former Assistant Commissioner of Police M C Mulani, Assistant Police Inspector Dilip Kamath, Telgi's lawyer Rashid Kulkarni have approached the High Court seeking bail.

Three associates of Telgi, Gokul Patil, Hemant Gogale and Mohammed Yasin Sheikh are other accused who have moved the High Court seeking similar relief. The court heard arguments today (Apr 19, 2005) and will continue the hearing tomorrow.

Former MLA from Andhra Pradesh C B Krishna Yadav had also filed bail application before Justice A M Khanwilkar. However, the court has transferred his application to the bench of Justice D B Bhosale, as his bail plea was rejected earlier by Justice Bhosale.

Yadav's lawyer Shrikant Shivade said that an alleged offence had been committed prior to 1999, the year in which Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) was enacted. "How can they arrest these people under MCOCA when it was not in existence at the time the crime was allegedly committed?," he asked.

Several politicians and police officers have been arrested by the Special Investigating Team (SIT) and the CBI for their alleged complicity in the scam.