Extradition warrant issued against elusive key aide of Telgi

NEW DELHI: A local court has issued an extradition warrant, against an elusive key aide of Abdul Karim Telgi for his arrest in a multi-crore fake stamp paper case here, to the CBI.

Additional Sessions Judge Dinesh Dayal issued the warrant after the probe agency sought extradition of Ajay Grover, arrested last month in Abu Dhabi on a Red Corner notice issued by the Interpol.

The court issued the warrant to CBI after taking into consideration several documents placed by the agency relating to the extradition treaty between India and United Arab Emirates (UAE) and its request to the Interpol to keep Grover under detention till they receive the extradition order.

Earlier, CBI in its application filed on July 25 this year, had apprised the court of the communication with the government of UAE through External Affairs Ministry seeking deportation of Grover, charged with selling and distributing counterfeit stamps in the national capital.

It alleged that Grover, in connivance with kingpin Telgi, had caused heavy financial loss to the exchequer and had been evading investigation since the beginning of the case and had absconded to UAE.

He was declared a proclaimed offender by a city court in January last year pursuant to non-execution of non-bailable warrants issued against him, it added.

According to CBI, Delhi Police, receiving a complaint from one Vikash Gupta in 2001, had seized fake stamp papers with a face value of Rs 61.81 lakh from co-accused Sohail Khan in the Daryaganj area of the capital.

In 2004, the probe was transferred to the CBI, which had filed a chargesheet against the 19 accused under various provisions of the IPC. 

Apart from Grover, two accused persons have also been declared as proclaimed offenders.
   
Of the remaining 16 accused, four -- Pramod Jhanvekar, Laxman Maruti Tirveer, Khadar Shah Mohammad Yousuf Singoti and Telgi -- are currently held at Yerawada jail in Pune.

Sohail Khan, another accused in the case, is being lodged in a Bangalore jail.
   
The other accused include Mansoor, Deepak Bhosale, Amit, Ramneek, Dheeraj, Sanjay Raina, Devinder, Abdul Hafiz, Jai Manchanda, Lalit and Shyam Sunder Patodi.