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Telgi's confession to continue on Tuesday
The kingpin in the fake stamp paper scam said he felt much relieved after the end of Monday's marathon five-hour session.
The kingpin in the fake stamp paper scam Abdul Karim Telgi on Monday confessed before a Chief Judicial Magistrate about his alleged role in a case, where he is charged with selling fake stamp papers.
Telgi said he felt much relieved after the end of the marathon five-hour session.
Charged in 48 cases in the scam totaling over Rs 30,000 crore, Telgi has confessed his role for the first time, since his last arrest in 2002.
Telgi appeared before CJM DW Modak 48 hours after he was asked to apply his mind and reflect on his decision to confess in the 1995 case.
Although his confession was behind closed doors, it assumes significance in the wake of Telgi telling the judge earlier that he wished to confess to expose powerful politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen and others involved in the scam.
Telgi's confession was inconclusive and would continue on Tuesday. Thereafter, it would be sent by CJM to the Mumbai court, the sources said.
Before recording Telgi's confession, the magistrate asked Telgi whether he desired more time for reflection on his decision and then he repeated the same 20-odd questions that he had posed on February 4 to know Telgi's state of mind.
However, Telgi told the court that he had decided firmly and was ready to give the confession.
Telgi's lawyer Nimbalkar said he would move the Special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the next two days seeking its permission to allow Telgi to make a similar confessional statement in the Bund Garden fake stamp case registered against him in Pune.
In the Pune case about 66 accused, including former police commissioner of Mumbai, R S Sharma, are facing charges of helping the Telgi syndicate in its activities.
Last week, a special court in Mumbai had allowed Telgi to give a confession in the 1995 case. However, since Telgi is lodged in Yerwada prison in Pune he was directed to give his confession before Chief Judicial Magistrate there.
On January 25, Telgi had expressed his desire in the Mumbai court to confess through video conferencing saying he would like to voluntarily tell the court about his alleged role in the cases registered against him and others by Cuffe Parade and Colaba police stations in 1995.
However, the court turned down his plea to make confession in these two cases as the trial had already begun but allowed him to confess in the 1995 case registered by Mumbai CID in which the trial was yet to start.
