Chargesheet filed against Salem in Diwani murder case

Mumbai, Apr 15: A 312-page supplementary chargesheet was today filed against extradited gangster Abu Salem for his alleged involvement in the conspiracy to kill Bollywood actor Manisha Koirala's private secretary Ajit Diwani in 2001.

Special Public Prosecutor Jimmy Madan submitted the chargesheet before MCOCA (Maharashtra Control for Organised Crime Act) Judge Abhay Thipsay.

Salem has been charged under sections 120(b), 449, 302, 342, 506(II), 465, 468 and 471 IPC, sections 3, 7, 5(1-A)(1-B) 27 r/w 35 of Arms Act and sections 3 (1)(ii), 3(2), 3(3) and 3(4) of MCOCA.

Salem's advocate Ashok Sarogi today moved an application stating that at the time of his extradition, there was an agreement between Portugal and Indian officials that he was being taken to India for trial in eight separate cases pending against him here. It was nowhere mentioned that investigation was incomplete and they wanted him for probe in the cases.

Judge Thipsay took the application on record and directed Mr Madan to go through the agreement and submit the report in the court on April 19.

Meanwhile, the trial against the others accused in the case - Deepak Singh alias Dipu, Upendra Singh, Nizammuddin Khan, Akhilesh Kumar Singh, Ayub Patel and Sahebrao Giri has been on hold.

Also, Dipu had escaped from Uttar Pradesh police custody on April five, while he was taken there in connection with some other case on transit remand.

Incidentally, Salem was extradited from Portugal to be tried in eight cases in India, including the 1993 serial bomb blasts case.

Salem is currently facing trial in three cases in Mumbai -- the 1993 serial bomb blasts, builder Pradeep Jain's murder case of 1995 and the Ajit Diwani murder case.

UNI