TADA court refuses to give Abu Salem's custody to Delhi police

A TADA court, hearing the 1993 serial bomb blast case, on Wednesday disallowed the plea of Delhi police to hand over custody of extradited gangster Abu Salem in an extortion case. Designated Judge P D Kode said at this juncture Salem was required in the 1993 bomb blast case and in other trials pending in various courts in Mumbai.

The court told a team of Delhi police to return to the capital and said it would inform them at a later date when Salem's custody would be given. The prosecution submitted that Salem had filed a petition in the Bombay High court challenging separation of his trial from other accused.

The matter was pending and would be heard on August 8. Besides, Salem was also required in Ajit Dewani and Pradeep Jain murder cases which are pending in other courts.

A team of Delhi police had filed an undertaking on Tuesday in court saying they would take Salem to the capital with proper escort. They promised to take care of his life and security. They also undertook to bring him back to TADA court in Mumbai as and when the designated judge directed them.

Earlier, they had submitted a production warrant to seek the custody of Salem in the extortion case registered against him in Delhi. The 1993 bomb blast case, Ajit Dewani murder case and Pradeep Jain murder case are among the eight cases cited by the government in a Portugal court to seek his extradition.

The trial of Salem in these cases is not yet over. Salem was extradited from Portugal in November 2005 and since then he is in custody.