New Delhi: In an effort to take the custody of the mastermind of multi-thousand crore stamp-paper scam Abdul Kareem Telgi, Delhi Police is contemplating to approach Karnataka Government for revoking an order that has scuttled such bids earlier even as two teams have been despatched to Mumbai and Pune in connection with the probe.

Delhi Police, whose Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has arrested nine alleged members of the Telgi syndicate and recovered fake stamp papers worth over Rs 220 crore, is eager to question the kingpin regarding his network in Delhi and other north Indian states, police sources told reporters in Delhi today (Dec 14, 2003).

It procured a production warrant from a court in Delhi to take Telgi's custody from Karnataka Police but failed in view of a Government order in that State which prohibits movement of the scam mastermind beyond the limits of Bangalore city.

"Armed with that production warrant, we are planning to approach the Karnataka Government to revoke that order," a source said.

As, it is directly controlled by the Union Home Ministry, Delhi Police will route its request through the Ministry.

Delhi Police has made five attempts to take Telgi's custody but it has been denied in view of a Karnataka government circular invoking Section 268 of Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) that empowers the government to disallow "removal of any person from the prison in which he or she may be confined."

The efforts have not borne fruit with an Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of Bangalore turning down such a request by communicating the difficulty in allowing the accused to go out of the city citing circular in response to the latest production warrant last month (November, 2003).

The EOW procured the warrant after arresting two of Telgi's associates in Delhi on November 13. Earlier, it had arrested seven other members of the syndicate in October last year (2002) and recovered judicial and non-judicial stamp papers worth Rs 220 crore.

"Although we have arrested his associates and questioned them at length, it is essential to interrogate Telgi since he is the kingpin and only he knows about his syndicate," he said.

Besides tying the loose ends, Telgi's interrogation will help unearth the extent to which his network is spread in Delhi and adjoining states, the source said.

Meanwhile, a team of EOW sleuths was despatched to Pune today (Dec 14, 2003) and another will be going to Mumbai tomorrow to obtain further pieces of evidence in the case.

The teams will exchange evidence with the Special Investigating Team (SIT) of Maharashtra Police, a source said.

Details of the racket in these places will be taken on record to establish how the persons arrested in Delhi are connected with Telgi syndicate, he said.

Efforts will also be made to question some of the people arrested by the SIT in connection with the cross- country scandal, the source said.

PTI