Extradited gangster Abu Salem [Images] on Thursday alleged physical torture by the Anti Terrorist Squad of the Mumbai police, and claimed that the confessional statement he made in builder Pradeep Jain's murder case was under duress.

Soon after Salem's allegation, special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam claimed that some members of the media had been asked to record these allegations.

Nikam's claim prompted designated Judge P V Bavkar not only to seal the courtroom, but also ask ATS officials to frisk the mediapersons to check for any recording device. The frisking yielded nothing objectionable.  

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Salem, who was produced before the special TADA judge as the ATS wanted his further custody in the Jain murder case, alleged that the ATS officials used a leather belt to torture him.

Describing the scientific tests performed on him by ATS at the Bangalore forensic science laboratory, Salem said he fell unconscious for nearly three hours after the narco-analysis test, making doctors apprehend if something 'wrong' had happened to him.

As a result of the test, Salem claimed, he had started developing acute pain in the head.

The ATS, however, dismissed Salem's allegations as a pack of lies, saying that the gangster had been 'tutored' to derail the investigations.

Nikam termed Salem as a 'cunning wolf' and said that the reports of scientific tests have revealed that the gangster spoke lies during interrogation.

"Contrary to his claim that he worked under the directions of gangster Anees Ibrahim -- younger brother of Dawood Ibrahim-- it was found that Salem had parted ways with Dawood's gang," Nikam claimed.

Salem had developed his separate world in crime as well as Bollywood, and tests have revealed Salem's connection with several Bollywood personalities, Nikam added.

Nikam said the ATS needed Salem's custody to verify some vital information that has come out of the tests.

Salem was arrested by the ATS in November for the murder of Jain in 1995.