TADA court to record Abu Salem's statement

     Mumbai: As per the direction from Justice Pradeep Bavkar, the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act (TADA) court will record the statement of underworld don Abu Salem on November 29 in connection with an allegation made by his counsel that Salem was assaulted during interrogation by Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) officials. Justice Bavkar has directed the ATS officials on the request of defence advocate OA Siddiqui to produce Salem in the court on Tuesday evening for recording of his statement. On November 25, Salem's lawyer Ashok Sarogi had alleged that his client had been beaten up in police custody by ATS during the custodial interrogation for his alleged role in murder of Pradeep Jain in 1995. Sarogi had claimed that Rashid (another counsel of Salem) had gone to see him as per the court order and, later told him that he (Salem) was beaten up, adding that if it continued then his condition would become bad. Ansari also filed an affidavit in the court that his client was assaulted and tortured by the officials.

     However, when a medical examination was conducted of Salem, the report submitted by Special Public Prosecutor Rohini Salian, said the allegations made against the investigating agency were baseless as pulse rate and blood pressure of the accused was normal and there was not a single injury mark on accused body. Salem, who was extradited from Portugal on November 11 along with Monica Bedi, was sent to police custody of ATS of the Mumbai police on Thursday, in connection with the murder of a real estate developer, Pradip Jain and had been remanded to police custody until December two.