Salem implicates actor Sanjay Dutt in blasts case

Mumbai, Mar 1 (UNI) Extradited gangster Abu Salem has implicated Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt in the 1993 serial bomb blasts case by confessing that he had delivered two or three AK 56 rifles and some ammunition to the actor at his residence before the Mumbai blasts.

His 16-page confession, recorded before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate earlier, was today opened in the court of TADA judge P D Kode where the CBI filed supplementary chargesheet in the case against Salem and his accomplice Riaz Siddique.

A series of 12 blasts had claimed 256 lives and left hundreds wounded in India's financial capital on March 12,1993 Salem, in his confession, said he and Siddique had brought arms and ammuniation from Bharuch in Gujarat at the behest of Anees Ibrahim, younger brother of underword don Dawood Ibrahim.

He further confessed that he along with Siddique and Baba Chavan, another accused, had delivered two-three rifles, some hand grenades and live cartridges to the actor at his residence here. Salem said when they reached Dutt's residence as one constable was on duty they were taken to the other side of his residence and there the rifles and ammunition were delivered, the confessional statement said.

Salem confessed that he and Riaz had brought 9 to 10 rifles, 80 to 90 hand grenades, some magazines and live cartridges from Bharuch in a white Maruti van. He also confessed that arms and ammuniation were sent by Anees Ibrahim.

Salem said Baba Chavan had kept some rifles and magazines with him.

Sanjay Dutt, who appeared before the TADA court today when CBI filed the supplimentary chargesheet against Salem and Siddique, was looking tense while coming out of the court.

Earlier in the day, after the filing of 84-page chargesheet, CBI Special Public Prosecutor Ujjawal Nikam told mediapersons outside the court that it was in January 1993 Anees Ibrahim had directed Siddique to fetch arms and ammunition from Bharuch to Mumbai. This arsenal was used in causing mayhem in the country's financial capital.

Mr Nikam today requested the TADA court judge to conceal the identity of witnesses because their lives are in danger. The prosecutor submitted a list of 15 witnesses along with the supplientary chargesheet.

Earlier, the TADA court had seperated the trial of Mohammed Ahmed Dorsa alias Mustafa Majnu and Ijaz Patan, brought from Dubai by CBI last year, from the main trial which concluded last year.

It remains to be seen if Salem and Siddique will be tried separately.

UNI ST-ADG SA MA RN2014