Fake stamp paper case: Abdul Karim Telgi acquitted Over a Year After His Death
Nashik, Dec 31: The Nashik sessions court in Maharashtra Monday acquitted late Abdul Karim Telgi and seven others in a 2004 multi-crore fake stamp paper case in absence of "solid evidence" against them.
Telgi, who was convicted in several cases in connection with the scam and sentenced to imprisonment of 30 years in total, died in Bengaluru in October last year while serving his jail term.
Charges against Telgi, believed to be the kingpin of the scam that was spread over several states, were abated after his death.
In his order, district and sessions court judge, first class, P R Deshmukh acquitted Telgi and seven others for want of evidence against them.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had filed a chargesheet against Telgi and others in a Nashik court in August 2004 under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The CBI had contended that the accused, including the officers and constables of the Railway Protection Force (RPF), colluded with Telgi by selling him stamp papers by opening sealed packets when they were transported to the Nashik railway yard from the city-based India Security Press, said defence advocate M Y Kale.
These stamp papers were meant to be dispatched to treasuries of various state governments.
The India Security Press (ISP) is a subsidiary of the Security Printing & Minting Corporation of India (SPMCIL), a public undertaking of the Union government.
ISP, located in Nashik, is tasked with printing passports, visas, postage stamps, postcards, inland letters, envelopes, non-postal adhesives, court fees, fiscal, and Hundi stamps in the country.
The court had framed charges against the eight accused in February 2015, Kale said.
The court examined 49 witnesses during the trial, he said, adding that the accused were acquitted by the judge in absence of "solid evidence".
Besides Telgi, other accused acquitted Monday are identified as RPF officials Rambhau Pawar, Brijkishore Tiwari, Vilaschandra Joshi, Dnyaneshwar Barke, Pramod Dahage, Mohammed Sarvar and Vilas More.
It cannot be immediately confirmed whether these officials are still serving with the RPF or are retired from service.
The government pleader, who represented the CBI in the case, didn't talk with reporters.
Telgi had printed fake stamp papers allegedly in connivance with government officials and politicians, and sold them to banks, stock brokerage firms and insurance companies.
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Catholic Bishops' body slams Bhagwat's remarks
New Delhi: The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India on Thursday slammed RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for his reported remark that Pranab Mukherjee, when he was President, had said tribals would turn "anti-national" if there is no "ghar wapsi"Catholic Bishops.'
In a statement issued here, CBCI, a body of Catholic Bishops, referred to reports which said Bhagwat, at an event on Monday, claimed that Mukherjee, while he was President had appreciated ghar wapsi and told him that had it not been for the Sangh's work on reconversion, a section of Adivasis would have turned "anti-national".The CBCI called the report "shocking".
"Fabricated personal conversation being attributed to a former president of India and its posthumous publication with the vested interest of an organization with questionable credibility raises a grave issue of national importance," the CBCI claimed.
"Is it not the violent ghar wapsi program of VHP and other similar organizations, curtailing the exercise of freedom of conscience of economically deprived tribals, the real anti-national activity?" it asked.
'Ghar wapsi' is a term used by the RSS and affiliated organisations to refer to reconversion of Muslims and Christians to Hinduism, based on the belief that they were originally Hindus before converting to other religions.
The CBCI also questioned why Bhagwat did not speak about it while Mukherjee was alive.
"We, the 2.3 percent of Indian citizens who are Christians feel extremely hurt by such manipulated and motivated propaganda unleashed," it said.
In a post on X following the statement issued by CBCI, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien said, "Speak up. This is a start!"
"Bishops body have issued a statement condemning remarks made by Dr Mohan Bhagwat and RSS for defaming the Christian community," he said.
O'Brien added that they should ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi more questions, including why Christmas Day has been turned into "Good Governance Day".
The TMC leader, in a blogpost earlier this month, had said "hard questions" must be asked to the government with regards to the Christian community, including why the FCRA has been 'weaponised', and why has Manipur been 'ignored'.
