Zee Media Bureau
Mumbai: A day after gangster Abu Salem was attacked inside Taloja Central Jail in neighbouring Navi Mumbai, reports have emerged claiming underworld don Dawood Ibrahim could be behind the incident.
Abu Salem is an accused in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case and he was shot by Devendra Jagtap, an accused in the advocate Shahid Azmi murder case. Salem sustained injury to his hand as Jagtap fired one round.
Devendra Jagtap, alias JD, is a member of the Bharat Nepali gang and police have begun probing how he got hold of the firearm. The weapon was seized inside the jail.
According to sources, the incident came just days after Salem was shifted from the highly-guarded anda cell to the general barracks.
According to a police official, Jagtap fired on Salem following a tiff at about 8.30 pm last evening.
Sources said Dawood aide Chhota Shakeel has said the underworld don gave supari for the attack. Shakeel confirmed the same to a news daily also.
Jagtap is also an accused in the killing of Chhota Rajan`s key man Farid Tanasha in Chembur in 2010.
This is the second attack on Salem inside a jail after he was deported from Portugal in 2005. He had faced attack at the Arthur Road jail here in 2010.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Home Minister RR Patil has ordered an inquiry into the incident, saying all police/jail officials behind the lapse would face action.
Also, following the attack Salem’s lawyer is expected to move court seeking his client repatriation to Portugal.
(With agency inputs)
