Abdul Karim Lala Telgi, the kingpin of the multi-crore stamp paper racket, might have been “officially” transferred to Bangalore from Pune’s Yerwada Jail citing reasons of his pending cases here.

But it is now learnt that the real reason was: Disconnection of the trial’s video conferencing facility by BSNL due to non-payment of bills for three months by the Maharastra police.

BSNL might have nothing to do with Karim Lala Telgi, but interestingly it was indirectly responsible for Telgi’s transfer to Bangalore. BSNL had disconnected the broadband service for video conferencing, which in turn halted his trial at the historical Yerwada jail in Pune. Confirming the information, Telgi’s counsel in Maharastra, Vidyadhar B Koshe, told Deccan Herald over phone that following the disconnection of the service, the trial was stopped at Yerwada prisons three months ago.

“He was feeling idle without trial and we sought permission from the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) Court saying that instead of keeping him here let him be shifted to Bangalore prison so that the pending against him be heard,” he said.

Details sought

He said that following the application, the MCOCA court sought details on the pending cases before consenting for his transfer.

The Pune,police, he said, were still waiting for the production warrant from the Karnataka courts to bring him to Bangalore. However Telgi’s counsel Shankarappa said in Bangalore that transfer might be delayed even further considering the elections. “Since the State police is busy with the elections it might be delayed. But we are preparing for the body warrant for immediate transfer,” he said.

Interestingly, the video conferencing facility at the City’s special court too had developed a technical snag and the court would have to conduct the trial in his presence. “They shifted the special court to the City from Parappana Agrahara prisons, but the video conferencing here has some technical problem. It  needs time to set it right. Therefore, he will be present in person for the trial,” said Shankarappa.

He added that the transfer to Bangalore was also necessary considering the deteriorating health of Telgi and his wife, who is in Bangalore.