Friday, April 8 2005 15:39 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Pune: The prime accused in the multi-crore fake stamp paper scam, Abdul Karim Telgi, has expressed his desire to make a confessional statement in person before the special court.

During a hearing held through video conferencing between Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) Court and Yerawada Central Prison today (Apr 8, 2005), he told the court that he would like to make a confessional statement under section 164 (recording of confessions and statements) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).

In another development, special Judge S M Shembole extended the judicial custody of the 60 accused, including Telgi till May 5. "I should be called to the court so as to enable me to make the confessional statement in person. I have already prepared the petition and am ready to present it before the court soon. I don't want to say anything more as everything can't be said through video conferencing," he said.

"I have already told about my intention (of making confessional statement) to my lawyer. I should be called to the court soon. The jail authorities are killing time, probably they want to see me dead this way, " he added.

Telgi said his plea should be taken seriously as it was a matter of life and death for him.

The court is yet to give ruling regarding Telgi's confessional statement.

"If anything happens to me, the jail authorities should be held responsible," Telgi said adding the jail authorities were not implementing many of the court's orders. "They have no respect for the court, despite show cause notices being issued to them," he said.

Shembole said necessary instructions would be issued to the jail authorities.

Telgi's lawyer Harshad Nimbalkar informed Shembole that a contempt of court application has been filed against the jail authorities for violating the court's orders to allow him to talk to late mother and wife over telephone and provide him medical facilities, hygienic food and bedding.

Meanwhile, 59 other accused threatened that they would be going on a fast unto death on the ground that they were being denied justice.