The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested three Railway Protection Force officials including Commandant R P Pawar in the multicrore stamp paper case for allegedly conspiring with prime accused Abdul Karim Telgi in stealing stamp papers and stamps worth Rs 23 crore.

CBI sources said that besides Pawar, the others arrested include Inspector B K Tiwari and Constable Sarvar Khan. The three were picked up from Mumbai, Pune and Bhusawal and were placed under arrest after they failed to reply to CBI's questions properly.

The CBI, after registering a case on Friday, had conducted raids at various places, which included the guesthouse near VT station in Mumbai where Pawar was staying.

The search at the premises yielded a cash recovery of Rs 237,000 for which Pawar could not provide any substantial answer.

The CBI, in its FIR had accused Pawar, Tiwari and Khan of entering into a criminal conspiracy with Telgi during 1997 to 2000 to pilfer government stamps, stamp papers despatched by India Security Press to various states governments and treasuries.