Book Review – Telgi: A Reporter's Diary by Sanjay Singh

Telgi: A Reporter's Diary by Sanjay Singh is a masterpiece in the investigative journal genre. Though non-fiction mainly, yet it goes like a fictional narrative of two protagonists that remain in the book like banter. The young reporter with NDTV Sanjay Singh, and the subject Abdul Karim Telgi. The book is based on true events. As most of us know the stamp paper scam of Abdul Karim Telgi was worth 30,000 crores in late 90s of India. The book starts with proper introduction of lives of these two personalities. Sanjay Singh had to depart from Star News...well before he could join the new venture NDTV. But he had to make an entry with a bang. He needed a case to expose that can shot his news channel and him in the limelight. Sanjay Singh was already a rising journalist then, well acquainted with the Mumbai police networking.

As he got into the research on the Telgi case, which was unnoticed up till now, we came to know about the destitute background of Abdul Karim, born and brought up in a village named Telgi, on the borders of Maharashtra and Karnataka. Abdul Karim first did scam as a tour and travel agent and then he got into stamp paper. On his side were many officials from Nashik’s printing press to Mumbai police department. Exposing the Telgi case was a risky affair for the young reporter. He had his own professional struggles…one prominent was being interrogated by police officer and a journalist peer trying to steal his file. The book sheds light on the dark intriguing nature of newsrooms…what it takes to live news against prominent people.

Telgi’s personal story was quite interesting. He produced movies, spent 80 lakh in just one night in a dance bar. Even when Telgi was captured and remained in jail, his business of counterfeit stamp papers continued. The reporter did entire work to expose the scam from all angles. Reporting in India isn’t that easy, the narrative of Sanjay Singh confronts this truth, however, the book did not get under the skeins of judgment. The book remains as holistic as it could towards its subject: Telgi scam.

Published by Harper Collins, the book provides content material for SonyLIV web series SCAM 2003: The Telgi Story. Overall, it’s a detailed and extensively researched work with events and details and facts. Well-written and beautifully presented, the book is a must read if you have interest in the crime noir investigative books.

Purchase the book from Amazon India.

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