Hearing on draft charges fixed for August 9

Mumbai, July 28 (UNI) Prosecution today submitted the draft charges against extradited gangster Abu Salem and others before the TADA court in connection with the murder of builder Pradeep Jain in 1995.

Immediately after the submission of the draft charges before the special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (prevention) Act judge P V Bavkar, defence counsels sought arguments in this matter.

The TADA judge then adjourned the matter to August nine for hearing. Two accused in this case Abu Salem and Jhamba were not brought to the court.

Of the five accused in this case, Riyaz Amed Siddique and Mohd Naeem Khan filed application seeking pardon and turned approver in this case. Other three accused are Abu Salem, Mohd Hasan Mehendi Hasan and Virendrakumar Bidarilal Jhamba.

Builder Pradeep was gunned down following his refusal to hand over a prime plot to the gangsters on March 6, 1995. Jain murder case is one of the two cases probed by the Crime Branch on the basis of which Salem was extradited from Portugal. The other one was Ajit Diwani murder case.

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