The Bombay high court on Thursday declined to hand over investigations into the multicrore fake stamp paper scam to the Central Bureau of Investigation and asked the Special Investigation Team to continue its probe.

Complete coverage of the fake stamp paper scam

The court asked the SIT to cooperate and coordinate with the CBI in providing information in this case, since the latter was already investigating the fake stamp paper racket in other states.     

Making the submission for the state government Advocate General of Maharashtra Ghoolam Vahananvati said the court has to decide on the issue.

The CBI expressed willingness to take over the multicrore fake stamp scam probe but left it to the court to decide the matter. The Special Investigation Team told the court it had in possession 56 tapes of Telgi's conversation over cellphone recorded secretly by the Karnataka police.

The court observed that it was not inclined to pass any order at this juncture and it would consider passing appropriate orders at the appropriate stage.

Six petitioners had approached the court arguing that the move by the central and state governments to hand over the case to the CBI was 'politically motivated' and aimed at 'delaying' the case. They had said that if the CBI takes over the case the agency would take at least three months to go through its papers.

The court had earlier appointed S S Puri with rank of DGP to head the probe. Reposing confidence in him the court asked him to continue the probe.

The court after hearing the arguments said it will take up the case on January 16, 2004.