Former Indian cricket captain Mohammed Azharuddin was on the hit list of gangster Abu Salem, Mumbai police sources said on Wednesday, although they were not sure what made Salem target the Hyderabad-based cricketer.
Underworld don Abu Salem will remain in India as the top Portugal Court has observed that it was not obliged to extradite the gangster back to the European country after it was held there was violation of deportation rules by Indian authorities.
Salem's confession describes the role played by Qayoom and Bilakhiya in arms distribution in furtherance to the 1993 bomb blast conspiracy, CBI said.
Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani said the only difficulty is the Portuguese government's policy of not allowing extradition of any person to a country, which has a capital punishment.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
According to them, any such permission would hamper the ongoing probe and cripple the agency's efforts to collect evidence in the case against Salem.
Mumbai police can prosecute Salem on two cases only.
A special TADA court in Mumbai on Tuesday rejected the application of gangster Abu Salem, seeking closure of his trial, after the Central Bureau of Investigation said it had challenged the order of Portugal supreme court, which had terminated his extradition to India in that country's constitutional court.
Kode stayed the transfer of custody of Salem to Delhi Police. Salem, lodged in the Arthur Road Jail here, is a key accused in the 1993 Mumbai blasts.
The Central Bureau of Investigation is likely to seek from the Supreme Court withdrawal of charges of organised crime against 1993 Mumbai blast accused Abu Salem after receiving legal opinion on the issue.
The reports published in many newspapers alleged as soon as Salem entered the Arthur Road jail on November 23, he hosted a party for his supporters and other associates already lodged inside. \n
Though there are four cases registered against him here, he can be tried in only three cases, which were mentioned in the extradition agreement with Portugal.
The application of Mumbai crime branch, seeking transfer Salem's custody has been filed with the special TADA court, which is hearing the 1993 bomb blast case.
But Samira Jumani is hiding somewhere in the US.
Senior advocate K T S Tulsi contended that Salem was not extradited from Portugal under charges of conspiracy in the Jain murder and, therefore, he could not be framed on that count.
Earlier, CBI had arrested Salem soon after his extradition on November 11 in the 1993 bomb blast case.
A Delhi court on Monday issued a fresh production warrant against underworld don Abu Salem after the Mumbai Police failed yet again to produce him in a five-year-old extortion case. Metropolitan Magistrate Sandeep Yadav directed the Arthur Road jail authorities in Mumbai to produce the extradited gangster before the court on November 21.
A designated Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act court Thursday remanded extradited gangster Abu Salem and his alleged aide Riaz Siddiqui to judicial custody till March 1.
Salem, who was an accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts case, was brought to the capital last week in pursuance of the production warrant issued by the Delhi court against him on April 17.
India has got a breather with the constitutional court of Portugal staying the order of its Supreme Court on violation of extradition agreement of underworld don Abu Salem by New Delhi by slapping new charges invoking death penalty.
The court also allowed Salem's plea for home food and bedding on condition that the food may be provided only by his brother Abdul Lais after undergoing security drill and verification process.
India will approach the constitutional court of Portugal challenging the decision of that country's supreme court which recently confirmed the decision to terminate the extradition of fugitive underworld don Abu Salem to face trial in various cases in India.
"Charging him under MCOCA was breach of extradition conditions. That's why the government will have to drop MCOCA charges," said his lawyer Sudeep Pasbola. The trial in the case is yet to begin.
The Delhi high court on Friday rapped the city police for being "lax" while filing the chargesheet against underworld don Abu Salem under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act when it was in "contravention" of the extradition agreement with Portugal.
His counsel Ashok Sarogi had declared that Salem would contest the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections from Mubarakpur as an independent.
CBI sources said the gangster's remand was to end on Tuesday.
India still awaits his extradition to face trial in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts and other cases.
The government told Portugal on December 12 that the gangster would not be given capital punishment if he were extradited to India.
The designated TADA court gave permission to Abu Lais to meet his brother and extradited gangster Abu Salem.
Salem, who was extradited from Portugal in 2005, is accused of delivering an AK-56 rifle at the residence of Sanjay Dutt and various other weapons to co-accused. Siddiqui and Ansari, too, are accused of delivering weapons at different places. CBI had recorded Salem's statement, in which he had confessed to the crime. Also, Sanjay Dutt and other convicts had named him and his associates for the role that they had played in the blasts.
Another accused Riyaz Siddiqui was sentenced for 10 years
Asked about the allegation made by Salem's girlfriend and little-known Bollywood actress Monica Bedi that she was in illegal confinement of the underworld don, the CBI Director said that the matter was being investigated.
Salem had said his sentence could not exceed 25 years as per a solemn assurance given by India to Portugal for his extradition in 2002.
Salem admitted that he knew about the modus operandi of the gang with which he had been associated in the past.
Maharashtra government Friday ordered a high-level probe into the attack on gangster Abu Salem inside Taloja Central Jail in Navi Mumbai with Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil saying officials responsible for the lapse will face action.
The Anti-Terrorism Squad has said they need time to find out who the other assailants of Pradeep Jain were.
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