Mumbai, Nov 23: In an interesting turn of event, extradited gangster Abu Salem requested a special court here not to send him to the custody of Mumbai Police citing security reasons. CBI, on the other hand, has reportedly told court that it did not want an extension of his custody.
Appearing before the Tada court, Salem, an accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts case, said,” I don’t want to be sent to the custody of Mumbai Police. There is threat to my life.“
Salem also told the court that he was treated well by the CBI.
Salem, who was extradited along with his companion Monica Bedi on November 11, was remanded to CBI custody till November 23.
The court had earlier rejected Salem`s plea of allowing his lawyer to be present at audible distance during the interrogation by CBI, saying it was based on speculation.
However, the special court has allowed Salem`s brother Abu Les to meet the accused in CBI custody for 15 minutes after proper verification by the investigating agency.
In yet another development, one of the lawyers of Salem sparked off a controversy by moving a special TADA court urging for withdrawal from the case on the ground that CBI had threatened to have him removed through Salem.
Meanwhile, Salem could be heading towards turning an approver in the Mumbai serial blasts case, with the underworld don admitting his involvement in the blasts in a confession made this week end, CBI sources said yesterday.
The sources, who were till now denying possibility of Salem turning an approver stating that the don had not confessed his guilt, now said that it was upto the gangster to decide on the issue.
"It is open for Salem to decide whether to restrict himself only to confessional statement or assist the prosecution by becoming a witness," sources in the CBI said.
Salem, they said, expressed willingness to confess about the case some time late last week, following which the CBI arranged to have his statement recorded and produced Salem before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate to confirm the statement.
Yesterday, the Tada court opened confessional statement in a sealed envelope submitted by CBI court.
Bureau Report
