Fake stamp paper scam kingpin Abdul Karim Telgi was awarded seven years rigorous imprisonment by a sessions court here on Friday for the culpable homicide of his driver Christopher Bhatti six years ago.

The court had held Telgi and his four associates guilty of culpable homicide of Bhatti on Thursday and pronounced the quantum of punishment to all of them on Friday. The four others also got seven years hard labour in jail.

Health grounds

Telgi, who is currently serving sentences in four cases in Pune’s Yerawada jail and suffering from AIDS, was brought to the special CBI court, presided over by additional sessions judge U D Salvi.

He pleaded for leniency on account of his ill health. Under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 304 II, the maximum punishment that can be awarded is jail term up to 10 years.

The CBI had charged Telgi and others with murder under section 302 of the IPC, but could not prove the premeditated crime.

Under that section, murder is a premeditated plan while cupable homicide could be an act on the spur of moment, without involving any pre-planning.

In this case, special judge U D Salvi held that the four associates “did not intend to kill Bhatti,” thus lessening the quantum of punishment to seven years.

Associates

The four associates convicted were Mohammed Ghaus Moula Ali Sighavi, Sajid alias Yusuf Khan, Maqdoom Hussein Mohammed Jadkod and Kalim Bande Nawaz Samsher. Telgi’s nephew Tabrez Ahmed and Telgi’s employee Uday Sawant were acquitted for want of evidence.

According to CBI, Bhatti had worked as Telgi’s driver and was employed as his stamp paper vendor in Chennai and was reportedly aware of Telgi’s fake stamp paper racket.

He and his friend Suraj Butki reportedly stole Rs 1.8 lakh from Telgi’s Chennai office and later made it look like a robbery.

Telgi, however, suspected the duo and extracted a confession from Butki. Then he went after Bhatti who went to his hometown Khanapur in Karnataka. But Telgi got in touch and baited him to settle the matter. The prosecution alleged that Bhatti came to Mumbai and was tortured in Telgi’s Cuffe Parade apartment. Bhatti died of his wounds on August 27, 2001. His body was found from Mahim creek later.

The incident came to light during investigations into the fake stamp paper racket. when co-accused Uday Sawant spilled the beans and Telgi was booked for murder. The trial was conducted through video conferencing.

It was the fifth of the 48 cases registered against Telgi in different states, including Maharashtra and Karnataka.
Telgi has already got 13 years jail term in one of the cases. This was the only murder case lodged against the kingpin.