In stamp scam scientific probe calls shots now

BANGALORE: In its inquiry into the unprecedented multi-crore stamp paper racket, Karnataka’s Stampit team has shown the modern, scientific face of crime investigation.
Bank records of the accused, handwriting samples, mobile phone records, pager records, travel and hotel documents, account books and diaries maintained by the accused, and information from forensic tests form the core of evidence gathered to date.
Witness accounts, normally the most important evidence in criminal cases in the country, have taken a relative backseat.
Following a style of functioning that reflects that of the CBI, the Stampit team lead by former CBI man and additional director general of police R. Srikumar, has aimed at building “iron-clad’’ cases.
Arrests have been “discretionary’’ and have been carried out only with strong evidence in hand. Evidence that has been obtained is verified and cross-verified from various angles.
“This investigation has been scientific every step of the way. We have used every tool available to us in an effort to strengthen our case,’’ says an investigating officer from the unit especially created to investigate the crime with nation-wide ramifications.
Interrogation of suspects has, for example, been conducted with the use of carefully thought out, individualised questionnaires which are objective but leading in nature.
The fake stamp papers seized at every turn since the investigation began, have been cross-verified by experts at the Nashik security press.
Forensic tests like narco-analysis, brain fingerprinting and the polygraph test have seen unprecedented use — both for verifying and obtaining fresh leads.
Records of Telgi and his associates’ travels have also been sourced from airlines in order to trace operations across the country.
Entries in hotel registers, diaries, account books by the accused have been constantly verified and certified by handwriting experts from the forensic science laboratory in Bangalore.
Stampit’s investigation, despite its methodical approach, has borne the brunt of criticism for failure to net the big fish, especially when compared to its Maharashtra counterpart, the Special Investigation Team.
In Maharashtra, for example, several police officers who were found to have allowed Telgi to operate freely have been arrested. In Karnataka, mainly Telgi’s ground-level operators have been arrested.
However, Stampit officials say they have been investigating everyone whose links to the racket have surfaced.
“Investigation of the case is in a crucial stage wherein complicities of highly-placed functionaries and personalities are likely to come to light,’’ the investigating agency has said in records recently placed before the courts.
Stamp scam rocks MP too
INDORE: After the spate of stamp scams that rocked several states, Madhya Pradesh police has unearthed a scam in Dewas district of the state, where counterfeit stamp papers were used in banks and insurance companies to the tune of over Rs one lakh.
Fake stamp papers were used in the branches of Punjab National Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, State Bank of Indore, Union Bank of India, Bank of India, Dewas Shajapur Regional Rural Bank, Oriental Insurance Company and a private company, the police said adding a case has been registered.
Police suspect the counterfeit stamps were supplied by an Indore-based firm Malwa Enterprises allegedly floated by Abdul Karim Telgi, the main accused in the case unearthed in Maharashtra and several other states.
Indore police had also registered a case earlier. Police are investigating the matter to unearth those involved in the scam.