Shahida Telgi, the wife of the mastermind behind one of India’s most notorious scams – a ₹30,000 crore fake stamp paper scam – was also thrust into the public eye from her humble life in Belgaum, during one of the most significant and detrimental cons of the country. Her journey, from an undisclosed life to being in the limelight during one of India’s biggest scams is a story rarely told. Shahida Telgi was born in Khanpur, Belgaum, Karnataka, having a lower-middle-class lifestyle. She was married to Abdul Karim Telgi, remaining out of the spotlight until 2003 when the scam came to light. This article discusses Telgi Wife biography, education, career, health issues & legal battles.
Telgi’s Wife Biography
| Field | Details |
| Full Name | Shahida Telgi |
| Known As | Telgi’s Wife |
| Date of Birth | 1960 |
| Date of Death | 2022 |
| Age | 62 years old at the time of death |
| Spouse | Abdul Karim Telgi (mastermind of the fake stamp paper scam) |
| Children | 1 daughter – Sana Telgi (also known as Zia) |
| Place of Origin | Khanpur, Belgaum, Karnataka, India |
| Religion | Islam |
| Involvement in Scam | Listed as co-accused in the Telgi stamp paper scam |
| Year of Surrender | November 2005 |
| Health Conditions | HIV positive, other chronic illnesses |
| Court Proceedings | Applied for bail on medical grounds; brought to court in a wheelchair |
| Legal Status | Out on bail due to critical health conditions |
| Media Representation | Character based on her (Nasifa) played by Sana Amin Sheikh in Scam 2003 |
| Public Petitions | Requested court to confiscate husband’s properties posthumously |
| Estimated Property Involved | Around ₹100 crore worth of immovable assets |
| Husband’s Death | Abdul Karim Telgi died in October 2017 (due to multiple organ failure) |
| Post-Scam Life | Lived a reclusive life, away from media |
| Reported Death | Believed to have died around 2022 (unofficial) |
| Legacy | Known for her quiet strength, legal resilience, and attempts at restitution |
Shahida Telgi’s Physical Status – Height, Weight
| Attribute | Details |
| Height | Approx. 5 feet 5 inches (165 cm) [estimated] |
| Weight | Approx. 60 kg (132 lbs) [estimated] |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Hair Color | Black (often covered with traditional attire) |
| Skin Tone | Medium to fair brown complexion |
| Physical Condition | Frail and chronically ill (HIV-positive, confined to a wheelchair in 2005) |
Who is Abdul Karim Telgi?
One of the biggest and most notorious financial frauds in India – the fake stamp paper scam of over ₹30,000 crore, was perpetrated by Abdul Karim Telgi. Born in Khanapur, Karnataka, Telgi started out in life with nothing before becoming notorious with a network of fake stamp paper distribution all over India. He executed an intricate con by printing fake stamp papers and selling them to banks, insurance companies, stock brokerage firms and government organizations. The stamp paper scam not only showed a complete lack of morals but exposed the deep-rooted corruption in India as well as severely denting the credibility of the Indian law enforcement and administrative systems. Telgi was convicted in multiple cases and sentenced to 30 years of rigorous imprisonment. Telgi died in 2017 from complications relating to multiple diseases including diabetes and meningitis.
Who is Shahida Telgi?
Shahida Telgi was the partner of Abdul Karim Telgi, who masterminded one of India’s largest financial frauds: the fake stamp paper fraud. Before that dubious distinction, Shahida was hardly a household name. But once police began their investigation, she found herself thrust into the public spotlight; newspaper articles and television episodes impugned her and made mention of her as the co-conspirator in the crimes being committed by Abdul and ruled in a sinister and multi-faceted fashion. Though she was not accused of playing a significant role in the scheme’s operation, she was named as a co-accused and later had a different criminality story to tell.
Shahida Telgi’s Educational Qualification
There is very limited public information about Shahida Telgi’s formal education. However, based on the sources and on her background:
- She probably had basic schooling in Karnataka.
- There is no record of higher education as a college degree.
- Her life seemed significantly more focused on family and traditional homemaking.
Shahida Telgi’s Career or Profession
Shahida Telgi more or less led a private life and was mostly known as a housewife. There is no publicly accessible evidence that any job or profession was associated with her. Her involvement was with what was undoubtedly her home, in support of her family, while her husband, Abdul Karim Telgi was undertaking business activities – both legal and illegal. While later being named as a co-accused in the fake stamp paper scam, there is no clarity about any direct involvement she had with Abdul Karim Telgi’s activities as a whole. In fact, some accounts about her involvement suggest she may not have been fully aware of the extent of her husband’s involvement in criminality. Following his arrest and eventual death, Shahida came into public view after she petitioned a court to take ownership of and distribute her deceased husband’s assets for public-good purposes. With that said, she did not publicly or as a profession pursue any career-related opportunities before, or subsequent to the scandal.
Shahida Telgi’s Family Details
Shahida Telgi was married to the notorious Abdul Karim Telgi who was the mastermind of the ₹30,000 crore fake stamp paper scam in India. Until the time of Telgi’s arrest and the subsequent media circus surrounding the case, the couple’s life was mostly private. The couple had one daughter, Sana Telgi, who is also known as Zia. For most of her life, Sana stayed away from the public eye until she sued for the depiction of her father in the web series Scam 2003. There are no public records available about Shahida having any additional children. Additionally, no information could be found about her parents or siblings, preventing any public information from being available about her extended family.
Post-Telgi Years and Property Dispute
After Abdul Karim Telgi passed away in October 2017 in Bengaluru, Shahida made another important move. She filed a petition in a Pune court for the confiscation of her husband’s undistributed assets – immovable properties with a value of ₹100 crore – and asked that his last wish was respected and used for the public good.
Media Portrayal: Scam 2003
The 2023 Hansal Mehta-directed series Scam 2003: The Telgi Story featured Sana Amin Sheikh as lawyer Shahida (a.k.a Nasifa) and brought the Telgi saga into the mainstream. Sheikh described the character as a “middle-class wife who moved up in status but still had a voice”
Conclusion
The life of Shahida Telgi is an entry point into the collateral damage that is often overlooked when it comes to a major financial crime. Shahida has faced personal loss and health issues, and has been an advocate for social restitution. Her story is about resilience, complicity, and controversy. In our current drama saturated societal media, right now the world is consuming, corporations such as Netflix are pumping out dramatized series, like Scam 2003. Behind those narratives lie human stories, both visible, and hidden, and they can be born from trauma, and haunt individuals like Shahida Telgi as they navigate the world every single day.
FAQ’s
Q1: Who was Shahida Telgi?
A: Shahida Telgi was the wife of Abdul Karim Telgi, the orchestrator of India’s 2003 fake‑stamp‑paper scam.
Q2: Did Shahida Telgi go to jail?
A: She surrendered in Pune in 2005 after being charge‑sheeted. Due to her poor health and HIV status, she received bail and hospital care, rather than prolonged incarceration
Q3: Who plays Shahida in Scam 2003?
A: Actress Sana Amin Sheikh portrays Shahida (called Nasifa) in Hansal Mehta’s web series, released on Sony LIV in September 2023