AMRITSAR, June 11 - The CBI is in a spot after the startling disclosures by its former inspector that the rare manuscripts, 'hukamnamas', books and material were taken in gunny bags and big trunks to an unknown place after Operation Bluestar in 1984.

A spokesman for the CBI had denied that such material was still in its possession, as stated by the Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, recently while replying to a letter of the SGPC.

Mr Ranjit Singh Nanda, a former Inspector in the Punjab Police, remained on deputation with the CBI after the assassination of A.S. Atwal, the then Inspector-General of Police on the Golden Temple premises in 1983. Mr Nanda said that the rare books were taken to a youth hostel, where these were packed in gunny bags and trunks after proper cataloguing before taking them to an unknown place. The disclosures made by Mr Nanda have substantiated the claims of the SGPC that the material of the Sikh Reference Library was still lying with the CBI.

The issue of the Sikh Reference Library has become more vexed owing to the confusing statements being given by all concerned.

According to Dr Santokh Singh Sheharyar, an eminent Punjabi poet and Assistant Librarian, Guru Nanak Dev University, more than 20,000 books of the value of Rs 20 lakh, 2500 handwritten volumes of holy Sikh scriptures, 500 handwritten rare books/documents relating to Sikh tenets and traditions and 200 typed copies of rare books/documents were taken out from the Sikh Reference Library by the Army.