Telgi: Ex-police chief, 2 others discharged

The three officers, who were in judicial custody before being granted bail, were elated on hearing the pronouncement by Special Judge Chitra K Bhedi, who said there was no evidence against them. Sharma, who was in line for the Maharashtra DGP’s post when he was arrested a few years ago, has since retired.

The court had on Tuesday discharged a former stamp vendor Madhav Mutta Devadia, who later was working as an office boy in one of the firms of Abdul Karim Telgi, the alleged kingpin in the fake stamp case.

Moments after being discharged, Sharma accused the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of conducting a “motivated investigation in connivance with his jealous professional colleagues” to frame him. Exclaiming “God is great,” he said, “I am now consulting my lawyers to sue all those who conspired to ruin my reputation.”

“My action will be legal and logical,” he added. When asked to name the “professional colleague” who conspired against him, he said, “He was Additional DG O P Bali, whom I had superseded”.

“The SIT blatantly indulged in falsehood while conducting the investigation into the Telgi case by alleging that I was aiding the culprit,” he said, adding, “I always felt that one day I will get justice.”