PTI
 
Mumbai, Jan 17: The kingpin of the multi-crore fake stamps and stamp paper racket, Abdul Karim Telgi, was on Tuesday convicted by a special court for his role in a 1995 case of selling fake stamps worth Rs 17 lakh.

This is the first conviction of Telgi who is lodged in Yerwada prison in Pune.

He was not present when the judgement was delivered, but appeared on television through video-conferencing. The judgement was delivered by special judge U D Salvi in the jam-packed courtroom.

Telgi's associates, Sanjay Gaikwad and Ram Ratan Soni, were also convicted.

They were awarded rigorous imprisonment for 10 years and Rs 50,000 fine on the charge of conspiracy.
 
Prosecutor Pradeep Gharad sought maximum life punishment for the accused, but all of them pleaded clemency on humanitarian grounds.

Telgi, through video-conferencing, urged the court to show leniency as he was suffering from HIV/AIDS and his wife was admitted to a hospital.

The entire trial was held through video-conferencing, Gharat said, adding that this was the first case in which the proceedings were conducted through this method.

The prosecution's case is that in 1995 Poornanand and Co, a solicitor firm, had to execute two documents on behalf of its client and required special adhesive stamps worth Rs 16,58,990 lakh to be affixed thereon. There was urgency in the matter as the client was to go abroad.

Someone suggested to them that Telgi could do this and the firm approached him. Telgi's employee Rakesh Sharma went to the solicitor's office, collected the document and allegedly affixed fake stamps. He also gave a receipt of delivery of stamps signed by Telgi, promising to deliver the original receipt of the General Stamp Office.

However, when he failed to deliver, the company got suspicious and verified from the General Stamp Office only to be told there was no sale of the stamps.

A complaint was lodged by the solicitor's advocate Manish Parekh with the Superintendent of Stamps Radhesham Mopalwar who in turn lodged an FIR with MRA Marg Police Station.

During investigation, three accused, including Telgi, were arrested and a chargesheet was filed against them by CBI. In all, 17 witnesses were examined during the trial, which concluded on December 26 last.