Sunday, July 3 2005 11:36 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: With the probe in the high-profile Bund Garden case completed, the CBI is all set to file the chargesheet in this case in a Pune court this week against 67 people, including main kingpin Abdul Karim Telgi and his wife.

However, during the probe into the case, which saw as many as seven heads rolling in the Mumbai police, including former Police Commissioner R S Sharma, the agency did not come across any involvement of any Maharashtra politicians in the case.

Politicians, including NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) leader Chaggan Bhujbal, at present PWD Minister in Maharashtra Government and his nephew Samir and hotelier Lalit Suri were examined but the agency could not find any of their role in helping the scamster, sources said.

The Special Investigating Team, set up by Maharashtra Government, had also not found anything against the politicians, whose name was doing rounds, they added.

The chargesheet would include names of 67 people, including former Mumbai Police Commissioner R S Sharma, the sanction for whose prosecution was received by the agency.

The case, when it was handed over to the CBI, was already in its final stages and SIT had prepared a list of 45 people for chargesheeting. However, the CBI during its investigation added another 22 names, which included Telgi's wife who has been charged for abetting the crime.

The CBI during the probe, investigated all aspects which included even a letter allegedly written by Ram Jethmalani, who was the then Union Urban Development Minister, recommending promotion of the sacked General Manager of India Security Press, Nashik, Ganga Prakash, one of the main accused in the case.

Jethmalani was allegedly approached by Anil Gote, at present lodged in jail in the multi-crore stamp scam, with a representation from Prakash, who was the then Deputy General Manager in the ISP.

In its FIR, CBI mentioned Telgi had met Prakash and had gifted him two costly imported watches. The officer sought help of the scamster in getting a promotion and, in return, promised all help from the ISP.

The relation between Gote and Telgi dates back to 1994 when the former helped the latter in securing a stamp vendor licence.

Bhujbal, who is the senior NCP leader, name figured in a taped conversation between Telgi and Anil Gote where the kingpin claimed he had spoken to Bhujbal and "the work was done".

The Telgi scam had created a storm in political and bureaucratic circles and saw resignation of several political bigwigs.