Bhujbal: Transfer trouble

Mumbai, March 4: Chhagan Bhujbal, the former Maharashtra deputy chief minister, has been questioned in utmost secrecy by the special investigation team probing the fake stamp paper scam. He is the seniormost politician and, by all accounts, the most influential person to be questioned till now.

Sources said Bhujbal is being grilled since yesterday. There may be further questioning sessions, the police sources added.

The Nationalist Congress Party leader, who also held the home portfolio when the scam broke out, has been in the eye of a storm ever since Abdul Rehman, the advocate representing Abdul Karim Telgi, took Bhujbal’s name and accused him of being the “real kingpin”.

The sources said Bhujbal and his nephew, Sameer, have been asked about the spate of illegal police transfers that followed Telgi’s arrest. It has been alleged that the transfers were effected at the behest of Telgi and a lot of money changed hands.

The SIT, according to reports trickling in, changed the usual venue — its office in Worli — to question Bhujbal, apparently at his request. He was interrogated at the State Reserve Police Force premises at suburban Goregaon, the sources said, to avoid excess media glare and trouble from Bhujbal’s followers. Bhujbal, who reached the SRPF campus early last morning, was grilled till late this evening.

Responding to questions late tonight, Bhujbal said: “I have not only replied in detail to the questions posed by the SIT regarding the many cases Telgi was involved in, I have also furnished all the information I was privy to as home minister and deputy chief minister.”

He added: “I have been maintaining from the beginning that I am innocent and I will continue to do so.”

It is not exactly known what was the line of questioning the SIT took today, but Bhujbal had recently warned that anybody questioning his integrity would be beaten with his chappal.

“I will take off my sandals and beat the person who asks me if I took any money from Telgi,” a furious Bhujbal had said when asked how he would react if the SIT asked him a direct question on the alleged money transfer.

Recently when Sameer was questioned, the police had to erect barricades and stop vehicles a kilometre away. About 5,000 NCP workers had shouted slogans against the government and tried to force their way in, keeping the 100-odd security personnel on tenterhooks.

Sameer has been questioned three times in a row regarding his role in the scam and his relation with Telgi. Sameer, known in political circles as Bhujbal’s right hand man, was also asked about his relation with businessman Antim Totla — a person regarded to be close to the scam kingpin.

Bhujbal had earlier been called on March 2 but had requested a postponement as the date coincided with Muharram. He also said that on that day he would be busy with a defamation case he had filed against former Shiv Sena chief minister Narayan Rane.