Telgi to confess on Feb 4

Stage is set for the alleged kingpin of the fake stamp paper scam, Abdul Karim Telgi, to make a confession in a 1995 seizure case with a special court today directing a Pune magistrate to record his statement on February 4.

Special Judge U D Salvi passed the order after Telgi told him that he wanted to confess in the case in which he is charged with attempting to sell fake stamp papers.

The judge asked the Judicial Magistrate First Class in Pune to record the statement of Telgi, lodged in Yerwada prison.

On January 25, Telgi had said that he would like to tell the court about his role in the cases registered against him and others by Cuffe Parade and Colaba police stations in 1995.

The court turned down his plea for confession in these two cases as the trial had already begun but allowed him to confess in another case registered by the CID in which the trial was yet to start.

Asked what would be the implication of Telgi's confession, Prosecutor Pradeep Gharat said it depended on his statement. "He may or may not support the prosecution," Gharat said.