No judge to try Telgi cases

But so far, the State Government is yet to issue orders designating a special judge empowering him to conduct trials in the stamp paper cases.

When Shembole was transferred, he was handling three cases filed under MCOCA against members of the Abdul Karim Telgi-led fake stamp paper racket—one each in Pune, Thane and Nashik.

The State Government had issued orders last year empowering Shembole to conduct trials anywhere in Maharashtra, thereby extending his jurisdiction from the five districts of Pune revenue division to the entire state as far as the fake stamp paper cases were concerned.

But that there was still no judge to conduct the Telgi case trials was most apparent during Tuesday’s hearing. Additional Special Judge Deshpande was out of town and his court was under the charge of Additional District and Sessions Judge P B Birajdar.

Applications moved by Telgi and former MLA Anil Gote seeking permission to undergo medical treatment at private hospitals were to come up for hearing. Besides, the judicial custody of those arrested was to be extended. Till now, the arrested were being presented before Shembole using video conferencing.

Birajdar adjourned the hearing on Telgi and Gote’s applications till July 7 and extended the judicial custody of the accused till July 22. Later, special public prosecutors Raja Thakare and Pradip Gharat met District Judge B D Kadam, who told them he had issued standing orders empowering Birajdar to adjourn matters in Deshpande’s absence.