Abdul Karim Telgi, who was convicted in a multi-crore fake stamp paper scam, has died, authorities at Bengaluru's Victoria Hospital said.
Telgi was on ventilator support for the past six days. He was declared dead by the doctors at 3.55 pm on Thursday, 26 October.
SD Sharanappa, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru south, said Telgi’s death was communicated to the police on Thursday afternoon, and the body would be handed over to the family after official procedures are completed.
Telgi’s lawyer, MT Nanaiah, said he was being treated for meningitis over the last six days at Victoria Hospital, but the treatment was not successful. “He should’ve been admitted earlier,” Nanaiah added.
In an official statement released earlier on Thursday, 26 October, Victoria Hospital said Telgi's condition was not improving. “He has multi-system failure, and has not shown any improvement... He is still on ventilator and other life support measures,” the statement read.
Abdul Karim was sentenced to 30 years imprisonment in 2007 for a fake stamp racket worth at least Rs 3,000 crore. A whopping fine of Rs 202 crore was also imposed on him.
He was serving his term at the Parappana Agrahara Central Jail in Bengaluru. In July, there were allegations by a report submitted to Director Inspector General (prisons) D Roopa, which said that he was receiving special treatment.
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