#Bombayphile Telgi Scam: Crime Reporting In Mumbai 20 Years Ago

 

In the last two decades, the landscape of crime reporting in Mumbai has undergone a dramatic transformation. Gone are the days when crime reporters chronicled a never-ending saga of violence, featuring shootouts resulting from gang wars and police encounters. In addition to this “routine coverage,” a crime reporters had to demonstrate their investigative prowess by unearthing stories that unveiled corruption and administrative negligence. These fearless exposés, which often made those in power uncomfortable and insecure, were a common sight in the media. Back then, there was no WhatsApp, and a reporter who filed a "table story" was met with disdain. Unfortunately, this style of crime reporting has become increasingly rare, and the blame cannot be solely laid at the feet of crime reporters. The decline of crime reporting in Mumbai is a topic for another discussion.
Today, I'm delving into the Telgi scam, a shining example of investigative journalism from Mumbai. This scam, uncovered by a Mumbai-based journalist in 2003, sent shockwaves throughout the nation.
For many in my generation of crime reporters, the Telgi Scam remains etched in memory as a case that saw police officers, from the Police Commissioner to the lowly Police Constable, incarcerated, and the resignation of Home Minister Chhagan Bhujbal. The credit for exposing this vast multi-million rupee scam that spanned multiple Indian states goes to my friend and author, Sanjay Singh, who was a crime reporter with NDTV at the time.
Sanjay Singh leaked the report of IPS officer Subodh Jayaswal, who had been tasked with investigating allegations of corruption within the police force. In late 2002, I reported for Aaj Tak, quoting a letter from Pune Police's S.M. Mushrif to the DGP, alleging that some individuals were being unfairly implicated while others were being let off in the Telgi case. Following the broadcast of my story, the government initiated an inquiry into these allegations. The subsequent report unveiled how certain police officers had extorted money from Abdul Karim Telgi, collaborating with politicians, administrative officials, and fellow policemen to run a racket printing and selling fake stamp papers, causing massive losses to the state treasury. Singh's expose ignited a media firestorm and galvanized opposition parties. The Bombay High Court ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT). Without Singh's leak of Jayaswal's report, the culprits would likely have successfully buried the truth, and the public might never have learned of the scandal.
However, exposing such a scam and taking on the high and mighty came with its own perils, as Singh would soon discover. As I too reported on the scam and was acquainted with Singh on a daily basis, I can testify to some of the challenges he faced. He was threatened and humiliated during a press conference by the Home Minister. A Deputy Commissioner of Police, who had a team of "Encounter Cops" at his disposal, hinted at Singh's potential arrest under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). Threatening calls from the "underworld" haunted him, and he always felt he was being watched, with his mobile phone tapped. Despite these pressures, he remained resolute in his reporting. He was even offered a "gun license" and other favors to dissuade him.
The SIT, led by retired IPS officer S.S. Puri, arrested nearly every police officer named in Jayaswal's report under MCOCA. The SIT operated from an office within the Police Housing Department's building on Pochkhanwala Road in Worli. Each day, crime reporters gathered outside the building, watching police officers of various ranks enter for questioning and exit as accused, bound for Pune where the SIT sought their custody. Some of these arrested officers had been hailed as heroes for their role in combating the underworld, and they couldn't hide their tears when cameras captured them being taken away in disgrace.
Rumors circulated (though not independently verified) that IPS officer Subodh Jayaswal faced condemnation within the police fraternity for doing his job diligently and being tough on his own colleagues in uniform. During the past two decades, I've met Jayaswal on only two occasions, and he displayed little interest in discussing the case. Throughout his career, Jayaswal maintained a low profile and avoided interactions with the media.
Abdul Karim Telgi faced multiple trials and died in judicial custody in 2017. Most of the cops arrested by the SIT were convicted, although some were discharged, including a former Mumbai Police Commissioner and a DCP from the Mumbai Crime Branch. S.S. Puri passed away from a heart attack in Canada in 2020. Subodh Jayaswal briefly served as the Mumbai Police Commissioner and then went on deputation to the central government. In 2023, he retired as the Chief of the CBI.
Sanjay Singh authored a book, "Telgi Scam-Ek Reporter Ki Diary," in which he vividly recounts the scam's details and the challenges he faced. This book has now been adapted into a web series titled "Scam 2003 – The Telgi Story." It's worth noting that the web series may have taken creative liberties and twisted certain events. For those seeking an unfiltered account of the scam, Sanjay Singh's book is available in Hindi and English.
Today's crime reporters would do well to read the book or watch the web series to gain insight into the investigative journalism of twenty years ago. This scandal should also serve as a reminder to the police fraternity that succumbing to greed and engaging in acts of commission and omission can lead them to the other side of the lockup.

(Bombayphile is published weekly, where Jitendra Dixit reflects on Mumbai's past and present.)