Date:09/09/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/09/09/stories/2004090912700400.htm

Tamil Nadu

Stamp papers missing from Sankagiri sub-court

By R. Ilangovan

SALEM, SEPT. 8. Judicial stamp papers, worth Rs 3.05 lakhs, submitted before the sub-court at Sankagiri, near here, are "missing'' from case files.

Highly placed sources in the court said these stamp papers, in the denominations of Rs. 1,000, 2,000 and 5,000, which were noted in the first sheets of the case files, were found missing subsequently.

A preliminary investigation found that four stamp papers were "missing'' from the case documents filed in 2001 and 37 stamp papers from case documents filed between 2002 and 2003.

The sources said judicial stamp papers had to be tendered, along with the documents in cases of property and compensation claims and other money and civil-related matters.

The `disappearance' of the stamp papers came to light when a judicial officer routinely verified a case which came up for trial.

According to a court official, the particular case required stamp papers valued at Rs. 16,650, and 19 stamp papers in different denominations should have been enclosed. But the file contained just four stamp papers worth Rs. 650.

`Sold clandestinesly'

It was claimed that the stamp papers, which were pulled out of the case files, might have been re-used or sold clandestinely. It was also suspected that the stamp papers might not have been submitted along with the documents at the time of filing the cases, and thus the court itself was cheated.

The involvement of officials in the court and a stamp vendor was not ruled out, the sources said.

The Madras High Court has asked the Salem Chief Judicial Magistrate to conduct an enquiry.