Indian fraud suspect remanded

A man alleged to have been at the centre of a multi-million dollar fraud case in south and central India has been remanded in custody for 10 days.

Abdul Karim Telgi is accused of playing a key role in a counterfeiting racket involving fake government stamp papers.

Investigators say the $650m fraud is the biggest in India's history.

A court in the western city of Pune ordered that Mr Telgi be questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation along with six other accused men.

Abdul Karim Telgi is the alleged mastermind behind the fraud which involved the use of fake papers or stamps - used in official transactions.

He is one of 60 people, including 16 policemen and politicians, who have been arrested during the investigation which spans seven Indian states.

Among those accused is the former police chief of Bombay (Mumbai) RS Sharma, who denies shielding two colleagues accused of taking part in the racket.

Mr Telgi denies the charges against him and told the court that because he suffered from severe diabetes, he should be given treatment.

He has been in a jail in the southern city of Bangalore for over a year, and was produced before the court amid unprecedented security.