The Hindu : Front Page : Telgi, two doctors get seven years’ rigorous imprisonment

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Friday, Jun 22, 2007
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Telgi, two doctors get seven years’ rigorous imprisonment

Staff Reporter

Special Court also asks them to pay a heavy fine

Abdul Kareem Telgi

BANGALORE: The Special Court trying cases related to stamp paper racket on Thursday sentenced Abdul Kareem Telgi and two doctors — Jnanendrappa and K.M. Channakeshava — to seven years’ rigorous imprisonment.

Judge Vishwanth Virupax Angadi imposed fine a of Rs. 25 lakh on Telgi, the prime accused in the racket, and Rs. 14 lakh each on the two doctors who were working in Victoria Hospital.

The judge found the two doctors guilty of accepting bribe from Telgi for issuing false medical certificates enabling him to get bail. All the three were sentenced to five years of imprisonment for the offences under Section 7 (Public Servant taking gratification) and Section 12 (Punishment for abetting offence under Section 7) of Prevention of Corruption Act.

They were sentenced to seven years of imprisonment for offences under Section 13 (1) (d) read with Section 13 (2) of the P.C. Act and under Section 120 (b) of the Indian Penal Code. The sentences for all the offences will run concurrently. They have to undergo further imprisonment of two years if there is a default in the payment of fine amount, the judge said.

The judge turned down the plea of Telgi to set off the period for which he was lodged in the prison during the trial. Justice Angadi, however, set off 80 days for which the doctors were in the prison.

The CBI, which arrested Channakeshava on July 14, 2004 and Jnanendrappa on July 28, 2004, said Dr. Jnanendrappa had issued a false medical certificate on June 6, 2002, stating that Telgi “be kept in calm and homely atmosphere, and homely diabetic diet is essential.” This, the CBI said, became a ground in a bail application moved by Telgi the same month.

The doctor received money from Telgi for issuing the certificate, and he shared it with Channakeshava, the CBI said. A similar certificate issued on September 6, 2002 said “the blood sugar is not coming down and Telgi may have diabetic complication leading to diabetic coma.”

For this, Jnanendrappa had taken Rs. 25,000, and this was also shared with Channakeshava, the CBI said.

The CBI in July 2004 had searched the offices and residences of the two doctors and seized documents, including those relating to huge movable and immovable properties and Telgi’s medical reports.

The judge lauded the work of R. Srikumar, Director General of Police, for his role as the Chief of Stamp Paper Investigation Team and unearthing the nexus between Telgi and the doctors. The judge noted that Mr. Srikumar followed the procedures and intercepted the telephonic calls made by Telgi to the two doctors.

The telephonic conversation and the analysis done by the Central Forensic Science Laboratory, New Delhi, formed a part of the evidence of the nexus between Telgi and the doctors.

The court also put on record its appreciation of the work of Central Bureau of Investigation’s Senior Special Public Prosecutor B.R. Nanjundaiah and Special Public Prosecutor V.M. Sheelavant.

This was the first trial in which videoconferencing facility was used.

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