Mumbai, Mar 01: Former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal today said Samajawadi Party (SP) leader Abu Azmi and well known lawyer Majid Memon had approached him seeking police protection for an accused, who had received threats, in the Mumbai serial bomb blast case. Bhujbal was deposing before additional sessions court judge Abhay Thipsay today in connection with a defamation case registered by the state government against opposition leader Narayan Rane for his alleged remarks on 'ramtek', the official residence of Deputy Chief Minister.

During the chief examination by additional public prosecutor M J Bandger, Bhujbal said being the Home Minister, any citizen had the right to approach him but it did not mean that the official residence was being ''misused'' as alleged by Rane. To a query Bhujbal said, ''It is a totally false allegation levelled against me, so it is not only my defamation, but also the state's because the reports had referred to the official residence.''

Bhujbal said he had told Azmi and Memon, ''I will forward this application to the commissioner of police and you may approach him for security. After that, both had left the office.''

In reply to a query by defence advocate Rajendra Shirodkar, Bhujbal repeated that Azmi and Memon had come to him asking for protection for Salim Durani, one of the accused in bomb blasts case. The latter had received a life threat.

The cross-examination will continue on March 6.

Bureau Report