Police injected Telgi with HIV virus: Counsel

Multi-crore fake stamp paper racket prime accused Abdul Karim Telgi has reportedly tested positive for HIV and his counsel has accused the police of injecting him with the deadly virus.

At present, Telgi is under detention in Karnataka.

Telgi's advocate, Nanaiah on Wednesday claimed to possess a medical certificate issued by doctors of National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore that said Telgi has tested positive for HIV though earlier tests conducted when he was taken into custody had not indicated anything to this effect.

He held the STAMPIT (the special investigation team appointed by the Karnataka government to probe the scam), the Karnataka police and jail authorities responsible.

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Nanaiah claimed that Telgi, who has been in judicial custody since November 2001, was in police custody for ten days a few months ago. At that time, doctors from a government hospital were administering insulin and other injections to his client. There was when the virus may have been injected to eliminate his client.

On November 6, jail authorities in Karnataka reportedly referred Telgi, who is a chronic diabetic and a cardiac patient, to the NIMHNS to undergo some tests. The doctors submitted a their report on November nine.

Not only did the jail authorities keep the medical report under wraps, Nanaiah alleged, but also did not provide necessary treatment to Telgi, as recommended by NIMHANS doctors. They have also ignored a recommendation by NIMHANS doctors to bring Telgi for further tests on November 12, he added.

Nanaiah pointed out that he had on November 11 filed an application before the Karnataka high court expressing fears about a conspiracy to eliminate Telgi.

Deputy Inspector General (Prisons) Jayaramaiah, when contacted by PTI, refused to comment on the allegations.

The STAMPIT has already filed ten charge sheets against Telgi and is in the process of filing another one. The high court has accepted the Karnataka government's request to set up a special court for a speedy trial.

On Tuesday, state Home Minister Mallikarjun Kharge said the trial was expected to commence in about eight to ten days and firmly ruled out a CBI probe.