Fake stamp paper scam kingpin Telgi 'very much alive', CBI tells SC

New Delhi, June 20  The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday told the Supreme Court that kingpin of the multi-crore counterfeit stamp paper scam Abdul Kareem Telgi was "very much alive" and was in incarceration in a Bengaluru jail.

"Abdul Kareem Telgi is very much alive and is in Bengaluru jail," Additional Solicitor General Atmaram Nadkarni told the vacation bench of Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Justice A.M. Khanwilkar.

He told the court that earlier there were reports that Telgi was suffering from multiple ailments including AIDS and few years back, there was a report that he had passed away and the same was reported by media.

However, the officers of CBI have told methat Telgi was very much alive and was lodged in Bengaluru jail, he said.

The information came during the hearing of an appeal by the CBI challenging the Karnataka High Court order acquitting Telgi in one of the several cases relating to counterfeit stamp paper racket.

The counterfeit stamp paper scam which was estimated to be around Rs 20,000 crores saw registration of 12 cases in Maharashtra between 1992 and 2002 and another 15 cases in other parts of the country.

In the last hearing of the matter when top court was informed that Telgi was dead, the bench had observed that you can't convict a dead person.

However, on Monday when Nadkarni addressed the court on CBI's appeal against acquittal of Telgi in one the cases, the bench observed: "If he is alive, then there is no hurry" and adjourned the hearing.