Stamp paper scamster Abdul Karim Lala Telgi had no clue that someone was listening to his mobile phone conversations while he was incarcerated in Bangalore Central Jail. Last week, Karnataka’s Stampit handed over to Mumbai police transcripts of 1,300 conversations that it recorded while Telgi was in jail. It has caught the scamster on audio tape crooning orders to his associates through mobile phones even as he continued his flourishing business, oblivious to the fact that his empire would soon come crashing down. ‘‘It was the most meticulous and secret operation ever undertaken,’’ admit Stampit officers. ‘‘While probing the racket, we have conducted one of the most scientific investigations in the country using technology to the fullest extent,’’ officers requesting anonymity said. But the biggest challenge was that Telgi changed his mobile number and service provider at least three or four times. But every time, within the space of a few calls, Stampit hooked on to the new number and recorded conversations. Sources said Telgi and his associates spoke mostly in Hindi, English, Kannada and Marathi. As many as three or four calls a day were being monitored. But ‘‘they didn’t take precautions. It was as if two normal people were speaking about their business and how to improve it.’’ ‘‘Listening in was also challenging as the calls could come at any time. At times of seizure and arrest, there would be a flurry of calls and swearing,’’ officers recall. It was only after Stampit started seizing freshly printed bundles of fake stamp paper and stamps from Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi and Bangalore that Telgi’s syndicate realised what was happening. But by then it was too late as several of the kingpin’s associates had been arrested and goods worth crores seized. No Stampit officer is willing to discuss the transcript’s contents as the probe is still on. And as Telgi’s contacts, especially in the police and political circles, are revealed, more heads will roll.
