Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Sharma discharged in fake stamp paper case

Former Mumbai Police Commissioner R S Sharma and two other police officers re on Wednesday discharged in one of the cases of the multi-crore fake stamp case after a special court found lack of evidence against them.

Pune, June 27 : Former Mumbai Police Commissioner R S Sharma and two other police officers re on Wednesday discharged in one of the cases of the multi-crore fake stamp case after a special court found lack of evidence against them.

In a severe setback to the prosecution, the special MCOCA court here discharged Sharma, ex-DCP Mumbai Crime Branch Pradeep Sawant and suspended Inspector Vashisht Andhale from the five-year-old case for lack of evidence.

The three police officers had been in judicial custody before being granted bail. They were elated on hearing the pronouncement by Special Judge Chitra K Bhedi.

Sharma was set to be appointed Director General of Police, Maharashtra at the time of his arrest.e has since retired.

A relieved Sharma told reporters, "I had been framed by some officials of the SIT who conspired against me out of professional jealousy. The fake stamp case was busted in Pune during my tenure. Charges have been framed against all those who were arrested by me and those arrested by the SIT have been discharged by the court."

Once a front-runner for the post of Director General of Police in the state, the allegations that he facilitated the fake stamp case syndicate by going slow on the probe eventually became a blot on Sharma's career.

ANI