Monday, January 24 2005 17:32 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Pune: The MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) Court today (Jan 24, 2005) permitted Abdul Karim Telgi, the prime accused in multi-crore fake stamp paper scam, to visit Khanapur, his native village in Karnataka's Belgaum district, on February 16 to take part in a religious ceremony to be held on the 36th day of his mother's death.

Telgi's mother had died of old age in the village on January 10 and the court had also allowed him then to perform the former's last rites. Telgi also filed two applications before B N Deshpande, hearing the case in Pune in the absence of Special Judge S M Shembole, who is on leave.

He urged the court not to keep him in seclusion at Yerawada Central Jail, Pune and allow him to meet his relatives and former lawyer Rashid Kulkarni, who is also in judicial custody as an accused in the case.

In a contempt application, he also urged the court to issue show cause notice to jail superintendent for not allowing him (Telgi) to talk to his ailing mother over telephone despite a court order. The court has asked the jail superintendent to file his say in this connection.

The judicial custody of all the 65 accused, barring the four on bail, was also extended by the court till February 15. All the accused were present in the court including former Mumbai Police Commissioner R S Sharma and former Mumbai DCP Pradeep Sawant, who are on bail.

Meanwhile, 44 accused, in a joint application to District Judge have sought transfer of the stamp paper case from the court of Special Judge S M Shembole to another court, alleging that the present MCOCA court was prejudiced against them and they did not expect a fair trial.