Date:07/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/07/stories/2006050719990100.htm

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Telgi ready to confess, gets time till May 22

Staff Reporter

The 400-page statement will cover all cases booked in State

BANGALORE: Abdul Kareem Telgi, prime accused in the multi-crore stamp paper racket, on Saturday submitted before the Special Court that he is willing to make a confessional statement and reveal all information regarding the racket. He has been given time till May 22 to prepare his statement.

Telgi made the first confessional statement in February first week before Pune Chief Judicial Magistrate D.W. Modak regarding the cases registered by the Mumbai's Crime Investigation Department in 1995.

Telgi informed Judge Vishwanath Virupax Angadi of this from Pune's Yerwada Central Prison through video conferencing. This was part of the proceedings in a case registered at Madiwala Police Station here, accusing him of having continued with the fake stamp paper business when he was lodged in Bangalore Central Prison.

Telgi said the statement, which would run into over 400 pages, would cover all the 10 cases booked against him in Karnataka. Telgi said: "I request your honour to permit me to make a confessional statement. I want to make the confession before truth dies with me. I will make the statement in the Madiwala case under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code, in which I will cover all the other cases booked against meI have already given confession statement in the Mumbai case."

Telgi said he needed 15 days to prepare his statement. "I want to reveal everything. I have made up my mind," he said, adding he had already prepared 400 pages of the statement.

"There is more to add... it's a long story. I need to consult my advocate too," he said. He asked his advocate to meet him in Pune prison. The judge posted the case to May 22, permitting Telgi's lawyer M.T. Nanaiah to meet him between May 10 and 20.