Karnataka high court reserves order on Telgi's plea for acquittal

The Karnataka high court today reserved orders to February 26 on an appeal filed by Abdul Kareem Telgi, challenging his conviction by a special court in one of the cases of the multi-crore fake stamp paper scam.

Justice Keshava Naryana after hearing the counsel for both the parties reserved his orders.

The special court trying the fake stamp paper cases had sentenced Telgi to ten year imprisonment in 2007 in a case filed by the city police. It found Telgi and 19 others guilty for printing and selling fake stamp papers.

They were found to have indulged in counterfeiting government stamps by designing, printing, possessing, and selling such stamps as genuine stamps in Bangalore and other parts of the state. Telgi had challenged the conviction and prayed for his acquittal.

Shankarappa, Telgi's counsel said, the appeal was made on the contention that the prosecution has failed to adduce any evidence on his direct involvement. It was also argued that Telgi did not own firms that indulged in sale of fake stamp papers.