Tamil Nadu   

`Quality paper, precision printing went into Telgi's job'

By K.T. Sangameswaran

CHENNAI, JULY 28. Use of fine quality paper, precision printing with appropriate security marks and neat packing. These stood out in the alleged illegal operations by the main accused in the multicrore fake stamp paper scam, Abdul Karim Telgi. His "product" was so perfect that the Tamil Nadu Crime Branch Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID), which probed a case two years ago, initially believed that the stamp papers were genuine, an officer associated with the case told The Hindu.

Similarly, fake adhesive stamps, which were in a lower denomination, were easily passed off as genuine ones to the Life Insurance Corporation, a bulk purchaser. When the State `Q' branch Criminal Investigation department wrote to the CB-CID about the circulation of fake stamp papers, it seized stamp papers with a face value of Rs. 3,750. The seized material looked as if it were original, going by the way it was printed, the high-quality paper used and the packing. That the stamp papers were fake came to light only after forensic experts said the treasury seal was forged, the officer said.

Detection difficult

Usually in fake stamp and counterfeit note cases, it is difficult even for a trained eye to suspect the genuineness of the seized material at the first look. Only expert/scientific opinion that a stamp paper or note is counterfeit will stand judicial scrutiny. Moreover, it was "advantage Telgi" as he could lay hands on an old printing press sold by the security press in Nashik, Maharashtra, with which he achieved perfection in printing of stamps and stamp papers, says the officer.

The officer says it is suspected that some vendors would also have fallen victim to the fraud as it is easily possible to shove a few fake stamp papers in a genuine big bundle. Detection of the fake stamp papers is difficult for another reason also. In most cases, particularly sale deeds, the documents are not taken out frequently once they are executed. A check is conducted only if a specific complaint is received.

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