Who is Abdul Karim Telgi (Scam 2003): The Mastermind Behind India’s Counterfeiting Empire (Abdul Karim Telgi)

Who is Abdul Karim Telgi (Scam 2003)? Abdul Karim Telgi, a name that reverberates with notoriety in India, was the ingenious mastermind behind one of the nation’s most infamous counterfeiting scandals. Today, his story resurfaces as “Scam 2003: The Telgi Story” premieres on SonyLIV. This gripping web series invites us to explore the life and exploits of Abdul Karim Telgi, the enigmatic figure on whom it is based.

Abdul Karim Telgi Bio Wiki

Who is Abdul Karim Telgi?

Abdul Karim Telgi (1961–2017) was a major stamp paper counterfeiter from India. On July 29, 1961, he was born in Belgaum, Karnataka. He paid for his studies by selling fruits and vegetables on trains. He later relocated to Saudi Arabia.

Telgi was the mastermind behind the infamous counterfeiting scandal in India. Before being sentenced to 30 years in prison in 2006, he built a counterfeit empire worth Rs. Rs. 30,000 crore.

The web series Scam 2003: The Telgi Story is based on Abdul Karim Telgi’s life and crimes. It will be available on Disney+ Hotstar on September 2, 2023. In the series, Gagan Dev Riar plays Abdul Karim Telgi.

Abdul Karim Telgi property Net Worth

Abdul Karim Telgi was an Indian counterfeiter who amassed a 30,000 crore counterfeit empire. He was the owner of 36 properties in India, including bungalows, a 14-acre plot of land, commercial spaces, and 13 rented rooms. To pay his fine, the Income Tax Department confiscated his property.

Telgi was sentenced to 30 years in prison for fraud, forgery, and other offenses in 2006. In 2017, he died in prison.

Abdul Karim Telgi Politicians

Abdul Karim Telgi was an Indian forger who created counterfeit stamp paper. He was charged with forgery, fraud, and other offenses. Telgi admitted to paying INR 20 billion to top Karnataka and Maharashtra politicians and police officials. He named former Maharashtra deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal and former Karnataka minister Roshan Baig.

The Early Life and Modest Beginnings

Abdul Karim Telgi’s journey, which began in 1961, was characterized by difficulty from the beginning. His father, an employee of the Indian Railways, tragically passed away during his childhood. To finance his education, Telgi resorted to selling fruits and vegetables on trains. However, his life took an unexpected turn when he spent seven years in Saudi Arabia, setting the stage for a dubious new career path—counterfeiting.

The Counterfeit Empire

Telgi’s foray into counterfeiting commenced with the forgery of passports. He even established Arabian Metro Travels, ostensibly to facilitate the export of laborers to Saudi Arabia. However, this company doubled as a hub for producing fake documents, enabling the illegal circumvention of immigration checks—a practice commonly referred to as “pushing” within the industry.

Subsequently, Telgi pivoted to an even more lucrative enterprise—counterfeit stamp paper. He assembled a network of 300 agents tasked with disseminating these fraudulent documents to major institutions, including banks, insurance companies, and stock brokerage firms. The sheer scale of this operation was staggering, estimated to be worth an astonishing ₹30,000 crore.

The Long Arm of the Law

The Telgi scandal was so extensive that it ensnared not only him but also several police officers and government officials. In 2006, Abdul Karim Telgi was ultimately sentenced to 30 years of rigorous imprisonment. The following year, he received a second 13-year sentence along with a sizable fine of Rs. 202 crore.

Personal Life and Tragic Demise

Telgi was notorious not only for his criminal exploits but also for his extravagant lifestyle. He was a frequent visitor to dance bars and was rumored to be romantically involved with a bar dancer named Tarannumn Khan. Shockingly, he once showered her with an eye-popping ₹90 lakh in a single evening at the bar.

However, Telgi’s life took a tragic turn in 2017 when he passed away from meningitis, which made his preexisting medical conditions like diabetes and hypertension worse. His demise marked the end of a man who had risen from humble beginnings to construct an empire, albeit one that rested on shaky moral ground.

In Conclusion

Abdul Karim Telgi’s life narrative is a multifaceted tale of ambition, innovation, and criminality. It covers a journey that is audacious and dishonest, taking it from humble beginnings to the pinnacle of a fake empire. The release of “Scam 2003: The Telgi Story” on SonyLIV beckons viewers to delve deeper into the life and misdeeds of this enigmatic figure who left an indelible imprint on India’s financial history. It serves as a reminder that the allure of ill-gotten gains can lead even the most ordinary of individuals down paths they never could have imagined.