In a new set of tapes released by the Bangalore police, Telgi names top Maharashtra leaders as beneficiaries of his scam.
When the story of Abdul Kareem Telgi and the stamp paper scandal broke in 2001, it was found that the money involved went into several hundred crores of rupees and that his network criss-crossed the map of India.
The Bangalore police made the first arrests, which then led to Telgi’s capture. Telgi was a canary that sang, and he revealed big names who were his benefactors, and beneficiaries.
Now, one more tape is out. Two more are coming. And this time, the names are really big. The names of former Lok Sabha speaker PA Sangma, Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, Former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal and his nephew Sameer Bhujbal have found mention in conversations between Telgi and Anil Gote,
former MLA, his ‘friend’ and other accomplices.
The conversations were recorded by the investigating agencies during Telgi’s stay in Bangalore jail. Three CDs of the conversation are in DNA’s possession, with some information from CNN-IBN.
Telgi had warned that if the tapes of his conversations with politicians, bureaucrats and police officers were made public, they would create havoc in the country.
Here are excerpts from the latest tapes:
Telgi and Gote talk about payment made for Democratic Front (DF) MLAs in Bangalore when the government was going through a crisis
Telgi: Main person there is in our favour…
Gote: Who CM?
Telgi: Haan… 100 per cent in our favour ...
Gote: Maharashtra CM?
Telgi: 100 per cent...101 per cent.... there was only one way … that of Sangma…
Gote: PA Sangma?
Telgi: Yes, Sangma… He said that he would get work done…He is asking for five (crore)…I said, I do not have that…
Second conversation in which he refers to then Additional Commissioner of Police SM Mushrif allegedly demanding money.
Telgi: Mushrif was asking as to how much we would be paying him…
Third conversation in which Telgi names Sameer Bhujbal, nephew of then deputy CM Chagan Bhujbal
Other Man: I have talked to Sameer as well…
Telgi: His (Chhagan Bhujbal) boy, who is in Bandra?
Other Man: Okay!
Telgi: He deals directly… He only takes money…
Fourth conversation in which Telgi names Chhagan Bhujbal
Telgi: You have a word with Bhujbal and Dave (a lawyer from Ahmedabad) personally.
Fifth conversation talks about payments to various police officers
Telgi: How should this payment be made?...
Other man: When it comes to police… from the top officials to lower ones… have asked for 55 (lakh)… this includes DGP…. Ramani has to be paid 25 (lakh)…
Other man: Hari Bhaskar who introduced us has asked for 5 (lakh)… And 10 (lakh) for IG… the remaining 15 is for (our) DIG, SP, Shankara and Prabhakar.
Other Man: And what happens to (Pradeep) Sawant
Telgi: Give Sawant 10 (lakh)
Other Man: The new joint commissioner of police in Bombay named (Shreedhar) Wagal seems interested. And it seems there has been some misunderstanding between (then Commissioner of Police) RS Sharma and Mushriff in Pune.
Sixth conversation in which Telgi says that Assistant Commissioner of Police MC Mulani was to be the collector for ‘Ek numbar’ in Maharashtra
Other Man: Sir, Mulani is believed to be the collector for number one here.
Telgi: Yes…Mulani has direct contacts…
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