PUNE: The court of special judge S N Sardesai on Saturday framed charges against three suspects, including two police officials, in the fake stamp paper scam registered with the Nashik police in 2005. The suspects are inspector Anil Deshmukh, sub-inspector Ramesh Pawar and Raju Satpute. The suspects have pleaded "not guilty", and have claimed to be tried.
The suspects face charges of entering into a criminal conspiracy for allegedly abetting the organised crime syndicate under sections 120 (b), 255, 256, 257 and 258 of the Indian Penal Code and 3 (1) (2) of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act.
The kingpin, Abdul Karim Ladsab Telgi, has pleaded guilty in the scam case registered in special case no 6/ 2005 when he was produced before the court via videoconferencing from the Bangalore jail.
The judge has faxed a letter to the jail superintendent directing him to obtain Telgi's signature on the plea that he has pleaded guilty and send it to the court as soon as possible.
The fifth suspect, Jaikishan Bangali, has expressed his desire to make a confessional statement.
The judge has directed Bangali to appear before the chief judicial magistrate (CJM) in Pune on June 13 for recording the confessional statement under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code, special public prosecutor Pradip Gharat, representing the CBI, told TOI after the court proceedings. The judge has directed the CJM to send the confessional statement to the special court by June 21.
Gharat said the court had earlier issued a non-bailable warrant for arresting the sixth absconding suspect Jeetu Harwani for commencing the trial. The charges against Bangali and another suspect Ajay Disle will be framed on the next date of hearing, Gharat stated.
The judge reminded Gharat that one of the suspects, Satpute, has filed a plea expressing his desire to become an approver, but there has been no response from the CBI.
Gharat told the court that he has given intimation of Satpute's plea to the CBI and has given them "two to three" reminders. "I am awaiting necessary instructions from the CBI," Gharat added. The CBI had taken over the investigations in the scam case from the state police in view of a Supreme Court order on March 15, 2004. The scam had led to the recovery of fake stamps and stamp papers worth over Rs 52 lakh. The CBI had filed a chargesheet against the suspects, including the policemen and the others, for allegedly abetting the organised crime syndicate headed by Telgi.
It may be recalled that Telgi was sentenced to 13 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 251 crore by the special court here in 2007.
Former special judge Chitra Bhedi, who presided over the special court set up under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) had convicted 43 accused, including Telgi, after they had pleaded guilty on June 30, 2007.
The judge, while sentencing Telgi under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and MCOCA, had slapped the fine - highest-ever imposed by any court in the history of the Indian judiciary.
The scam case registered with the Bund Garden police station in 2002 is regarded as the biggest ever case in India as the recovery of counterfeit stamps and stamp papers is worth over Rs 3,000 crore. The scam case has led to the arrest of senior police officials, politicians, lawyer and others. The state government had set-up a special investigation team to investigate the scam, but the CBI had later taken over several scam cases, following a Supreme Court order.
The suspects face charges of entering into a criminal conspiracy for allegedly abetting the organised crime syndicate under sections 120 (b), 255, 256, 257 and 258 of the Indian Penal Code and 3 (1) (2) of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act.
The kingpin, Abdul Karim Ladsab Telgi, has pleaded guilty in the scam case registered in special case no 6/ 2005 when he was produced before the court via videoconferencing from the Bangalore jail.
The judge has faxed a letter to the jail superintendent directing him to obtain Telgi's signature on the plea that he has pleaded guilty and send it to the court as soon as possible.
The fifth suspect, Jaikishan Bangali, has expressed his desire to make a confessional statement.
The judge has directed Bangali to appear before the chief judicial magistrate (CJM) in Pune on June 13 for recording the confessional statement under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code, special public prosecutor Pradip Gharat, representing the CBI, told TOI after the court proceedings. The judge has directed the CJM to send the confessional statement to the special court by June 21.
Gharat said the court had earlier issued a non-bailable warrant for arresting the sixth absconding suspect Jeetu Harwani for commencing the trial. The charges against Bangali and another suspect Ajay Disle will be framed on the next date of hearing, Gharat stated.
The judge reminded Gharat that one of the suspects, Satpute, has filed a plea expressing his desire to become an approver, but there has been no response from the CBI.
Gharat told the court that he has given intimation of Satpute's plea to the CBI and has given them "two to three" reminders. "I am awaiting necessary instructions from the CBI," Gharat added. The CBI had taken over the investigations in the scam case from the state police in view of a Supreme Court order on March 15, 2004. The scam had led to the recovery of fake stamps and stamp papers worth over Rs 52 lakh. The CBI had filed a chargesheet against the suspects, including the policemen and the others, for allegedly abetting the organised crime syndicate headed by Telgi.
It may be recalled that Telgi was sentenced to 13 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 251 crore by the special court here in 2007.
Former special judge Chitra Bhedi, who presided over the special court set up under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) had convicted 43 accused, including Telgi, after they had pleaded guilty on June 30, 2007.
The judge, while sentencing Telgi under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and MCOCA, had slapped the fine - highest-ever imposed by any court in the history of the Indian judiciary.
The scam case registered with the Bund Garden police station in 2002 is regarded as the biggest ever case in India as the recovery of counterfeit stamps and stamp papers is worth over Rs 3,000 crore. The scam case has led to the arrest of senior police officials, politicians, lawyer and others. The state government had set-up a special investigation team to investigate the scam, but the CBI had later taken over several scam cases, following a Supreme Court order.
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