Telgi, 5 others convicted for culpable homicide

Mumbai, Nov 29 (UNI) A special court here today convicted multi-crore fake stamp paper kingpin Abdul Karim Telgi and five others for culpable homicide not amounting to murder in connection with the 2001 Christopher murder case.

Additional sessions judge U D Salvi, while convicting Telgi and the others, said he will pronounce the quantum of punishment tomorrow.

Telgi, who is lodged at the Yerawada jail in Pune, was not produced before the court today. The court, however, directed the Superintendent of Yerawada jail to produce him before the court tomorrow.

Besides Telgi, the five others who were convicted are, Mohammed Gous Moula Ali Sighavi, Sajid alias Yusuf Khan, Maqdoom Hussein Mohammed Jadkod, Kalim, and Bande Nawaz Samsher. Tabrez Ahmed Telgi, the nephew of Abdul Karim Telgi, and another accused Uday Sawant were acquitted for want of evidence.

The accused had been charged with murdering Christopher Bhatti, who was an employee of Telgi. Bhatti allegedly used to handle Telgi's fake stamp paper business in Tamil Nadu. He had allegedly stolen Rs 2.5 lakh and had gone into hiding. However, Telgi's men tracked him down and brought him to Mumbai. On August 26, 2001, Telgi's henchmen severely beat up Bhatti, who succumbed to his injuries on August 28 at Telgi's flat at Cuffe Parade.

They later threw his body into the Mahim Creek.

The matter came to light during investigations into the fake stamp paper case and during the interrogation of co-accused Uday Sawant. Police then lodged an FIR and arrested Telgi and seven others in this case.

UNI