Quill and deception

In the late 1990s, an extraordinary event unfolded that caught the attention of the police, politicians, and the underworld. Abdul Karim Telgi, a man who had once sold peanuts and vegetables at a railway station just a few years earlier, astonishingly spent over Rs 80 lakh on a dancer named Tarannum Khan in Mumbai’s Deepa dance bar. This extravagant display of wealth raised numerous questions about who Telgi was, the nature of his business, and how he had transformed from a humble peanut vendor into a man of such immense affluence.

Telgi, a name that reverberates with notoriety in India, was a mastermind behind one of the country’s most infamous counterfeiting scandals. A native of Khanapur near Belagavi in Karnataka, Abdul Karim Telgi’s parents were working with the Indian Railways. He started working at a young age after he lost his father.

By the year 2001, Telgi’s arrest by the Mumbai Police revealed the shocking scale of his fraudulent activities. His fake stamp paper scam had burgeoned into what was arguably the largest financial fraud in Indian history, estimated at a staggering Rs 30,000 crore. Sanjay Singh, a young reporter at NDTV at the time, would eventually expose the intricacies of this colossal scam in 2003. However, the story extended far beyond the mind-boggling numbers.

What made Telgi’s operation truly remarkable was the exceptional quality of the counterfeit stamp papers. These forgeries were produced using supposedly outdated machinery, reportedly acquired from the government’s highly secure printing press in Nashik. The craftsmanship was so impeccable that distinguishing these fakes from genuine ones proved to be an arduous task. Telgi’s cunning and resourcefulness allowed his criminal enterprise to thrive for over a decade.

The book ‘Telgi: A Reporter’s Diary’ by Sanjay Singh and translated by Gayatri Manchanda is a riveting chronicle born out of meticulous investigative work, firsthand interviews, and confidential case documents. It offers an interesting narrative of how one man meticulously constructed a sprawling counterfeit empire valued at thousands of crores and orchestrated a scam of unimaginable proportions. Sanjay Singh, the intrepid journalist who broke the Telgi Scam news, is undoubtedly the ideal narrator to unravel the intricate web of this gripping story.

Abdul Karim Telgi was a complex figure, a man of humble beginnings who rose to build an empire, albeit one that stood on shaky moral ground. Telgi was eventually sentenced to 30 years of rigorous imprisonment in 2006. He not only enlisted the involvement of corrupt government officials but also recruited skilled management executives who played a crucial role in the professional expansion of his vast network. He was also asked to pay a fine of Rs 202 crore. His life ended abruptly in 2017 due to meningitis, compounded by long-standing health issues like diabetes and hypertension. In ‘Telgi: A Reporter’s Diary’, Sanjay Singh invites readers on an exhilarating investigative journey, providing a behind-the-scenes look at how he unearthed this remarkable exposé and why it ultimately became the scam of the century.

The scam of 1992 on Dalal Street of then Bombay brought us the story of Harshad Mehta, a folk tale that had been in the news for decades. Similarly, Abdul Karim Telgi was apprehended in 2001. Their audacious schemes, which reaped unimaginable gains, exposed the weaknesses in the governing ‘system’ that often excludes the common man from opportunities for power and wealth. Rags-to-riches narratives, particularly when propelled by the street-smart determination of protagonists who remain likeable and relatable despite their questionable actions, have always captivated our attention. Both Mehta and Telgi hailed from humble beginnings and achieved the pinnacle of success, even if it was fleeting. This is why there continues to be a considerable amount of admiration and sympathy for these individuals, even years after their demise.

While reading the book we feel that Sanjay’s courage was constantly put to the test as he found himself dealing with powerful politicians and formidable law enforcement figures. His investigative work brought him face to face with temptations and threats that would have deterred many. The fact that even the former Home Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra resorted to publicly threatening him with Chappal (a type of footwear) at a crowded press conference illustrates the intensity of the pressure and hostility he encountered. His journey involved facing tests of truth, navigating the allure of money, confronting the spectre of punishment, and enduring division within the ranks of those involved in the scandal. This book is not just a riveting expose; it is a testament to the power of investigative journalism. It showcases the vital role that journalists play in holding individuals and institutions accountable, and how their relentless pursuit of truth can bring about real change. Despite these formidable challenges, Sanjay Singh remained unwavering in his determination to uncover the truth.

The book ‘Telgi: A Reporter’s Diary’ goes beyond just unravelling the scandal itself. It also delves deep into the personal and professional journey of a journalist on a mission to uncover the truth. The author’s passion for investigative journalism shines through as he recounts the process of breaking a story that shook the nation.

This book is also a testament to Sanjay’s tenacity and dedication to his craft in writing. He shares the compelling narrative of what led him to stumble upon this colossal scandal, offering readers a firsthand account of the pivotal moments, twists, and turns that characterized his pursuit of the truth. Through vivid storytelling, he lets readers in on the challenges he faced, the risks he took, and the lengths he went to to bring this monumental story to light.

‘Telgi: A Reporter’s Diary’ by Sanjay Singh is a must-read for anyone who has a deep appreciation for investigative journalism, as it offers a lot about the most significant investigative breakthroughs in recent history.

The writer is a Bengaluru-based management professional and literary critic. Views expressed are personal