Tuesday, January 10 2006 09:56 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: A special court of designated judge U D Salvi here would pronounce today (Jan 10, 2006) its judgement in a case against alleged fake stamps scamster Abdul Karim Telgi and his two associates.

If Telgi is convicted, it will be first case against the alleged scamster to reach fruition, legal sources told sources.

The other two accused in the case, apart from Telgi, are Sanjay Gaikawad and Ramratan Soni. If convicted, the maximum punishment they can receive is life imprisonment. It will be also the first case in which the entire trial was conducted through video conferencing, prosecutor Pradeep Gharat said.

The prosecution's case is that in 1995 Poornanand and Co, a solicitor firm, had to execute two documents on behalf of its client and required special adhesive stamps worth Rs 16,58,990 lakh to be affixed thereon. There was urgency in the matter as the client was to go abroad. Someone suggested to them that Telgi could do this and the firm approached him.

Telgi's employee Rakesh Sharma went to the solicitor's office collected the document and allegedly affixed fake stamps. He also gave receipt of delivery of stamps signed by Telgi, promising to deliver the original receipt of General Stamp Office. However, he failed to deliver. The company got suspicious and verified from General Stamp Office only to be told that there was no sale of the stamps.

A complaint was lodged by solicitor's advocate Manish Parekh with Superintendent of tamps Radhesham Mopalwar who I turn lodged FIR with MRA Marg police station. Duringt investigation, three accused, including Telgi, was arrested and chargesheet was filed against them.

Seventeen witnesses were examined during the trial, which concluded on December 26, 2005. The prosecuting agency was CBI.

The trio were charged with IPC sections 255 (counterfeiting government stamps), 256 (possessing material for counterfeiting stamps), 258 (selling counterfeit stamps) 259 (possessing counterfeit stamps), 420 (cheating) read with 511 (punishment for counterfeiting) and 120-b IPC (conspiracy) read with all these sections.

Besides, they were also charged with sections 63 a and 63 b of Bombay Stamp Act.