Sameer Bhujbal appears before SIT

Sameer Bhujbal, nephew of former Maharashtra deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal, appeared before the Special Investigating Team probing the fake stamp paper scam on Wednesday in Mumbai.

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Sameer is suspected of having influenced decisions in the home ministry, then headed by his uncle, on transfers of key police officers.

One such controversial transfer was that of Inspector I M Jahid, who was attached to the cyber cell of the Mumbai Crime Branch and was probing a case involving stamp scam main accused Abdul Karim Telgi. He was allegedly transferred to Nagpur to derail the investigation.

Director General of Police (CID) T K Choudhary and Chhagan Bhujbal's former private secretary, S K Bankar, have also been questioned in this connection.

Sameer also reportedly had close links with Antim Totla, an oil trader who is believed to have come to the rescue of the Democratic Front government when there was a move to topple it in 2002.

Totla reportedly hosted the ruling alliance's legislators in Bangalore at Telgi's bidding to prevent them from defecting to the opposition camp.

Sameer was questioned for over four hours on Wednesday. He, however, refused to say what kind of questions he was asked. "The questioning is not over yet. They have said they will summon me again," he said.

Chhagan Bhujbal's supporters raised slogans outside the SIT office as Sameer was entering.

While initial reports had said Chhagan Bhujbal would be summoned for questioning on Thursday, SIT sources said the Nationalist Congress Party leader may be called on March 2.