The Central Bureau of Investigation has urged the Supreme Court to consider transferring to it only those fake stamp paper cases, which have inter-state and national security ramifications in view of the limited resources and manpower at its disposal.
In an affidavit filed before the apex court, the agency has also sought permission for it to identify such cases before taking up the investigation.
"... in view of the limited resources and manpower available with the CBI, only those cases may kindly be considered for transfer, which have inter-state and national security ramifications, relate to large seizure of fake stamps/stamps papers or printing machines etc...," the CBI said.
The court would consider the CBI affidavit on Tuesday along with those filed by the Centre, various states, Union Territories and National Capital Territory Delhi, which were issued notices on January 5 on a bunch of PILs seeking a unified CBI probe into the Rs 30,000 crore Telgi fake stamp paper scam.
Stating that fake stamp paper cases were already under investigation by police/Special Investigation Teams of various states, the CBI sought direction to these agencies to cooperate with it and give complete access to all the material collected by them during their investigations or discreet verifications.
The CBI also asked the court to direct the state agencies to give it access to audio-visual recordings of conversations and interviews of accused and witnesses and render all possible assistance to enable it to complete the investigation in an effective and speedy manner.
The CBI has requested the Supreme Court to direct the states concerned to associate and attach with it, as much resources, including manpower, vehicles, camp offices and office equipment, as may be needed by it in view of 'acute resource constraint' and the 'widespread nature of field investigations involved'.
"...and in the first instance, the Special Investigation Teams, wherever constituted, may be directed to be attached with the CBI," the affidavit filed by Superintendent of Police A K Ohri said.
The agency said that in view of the enormity and large magnitude of the task involved, formation of more than one Special Investigation Cell may be needed in CBI, requiring extra manpower and logistic support for quite some time and asked the court to direct all the authorities concerned 'to cooperate with the CBI in this regard'.
The CBI informed the court that it was already probing into 11 cases relating to the stamp paper scam and 27 other cases were in the process of transfer to the agency from Karnataka (15 cases), Maharashtra (8), Uttar Pradesh (3) and Bihar (1).
Besides, the agency was conducting investigation into two such cases on its own, which exclusively related to alleged misconduct of officials of India Security Press, Nashik and Railway Protection Force in conniving with the private accused persons, the affidavit said.
The CBI urged the court to direct the Karnataka Government to withdraw its order, which prohibits Telgi from being taken out of the state prison, saying it would hamper its probe into the role of the prime accused.
A bench of Chief Justice V N Khare, Justice S B Sinha and Justice S H Kapadia had, on January 5, issued notices on PILs filed by advocate Ajay Aggarwal and four others, who also requested the apex court to monitor the CBI probe into the scam.
Aggarwal had requested the court to direct the Centre to devise a method to check recurrence of fake stamp paper scams.
The states of Maharashtra and Karnataka have already informed the court that they were ready to hand over the investigation to the CBI as the scam had acquired national dimensions and state police may not be able to handle the case properly.
The intervention petitions filed by social activist Anna Hazare and former cabinet secretary B G Deshmukh were also likely to be taken up tomorrow along with the PILs.
Hazare is opposing the move to transfer the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe to the CBI on the ground that it would further delay the whole matter.
In his petition, Agrawal sought CBI probe into the Rs 30,000 crore scam in which fake stamp papers were allegedly circulated in collusion with top police officials, bureaucrats and politicians.