Mumbai court rejects Gujarat police plea for Salem's custody

Mumbai, Sep 13 (UNI) A TADA court here today rejected plea of the Gujarat police, seeking custody of extradited gangster and the 1993 Bombay serial bomb blasts accused Abu Salem in a 1993 criminal case filed against him by the Porbandhar police.

The designated court judge Pramod Kode said, '' Salem is required by various courts in Mumbai, including the TADA court.

Therefore at this juncture, his custody will not be handed over to Gujarat police.'' He further said his custody would be given as per judicial directive only when he is not required by the Mumbai court.

The Porbandhar police officer produced production warrant issued by an additional district judge asking the TADA court to hand over the custody of Salem to the Porbandhar police to enable them to produce him in the Gujarat court in a cirminal case pending against him. But Mr Kode turned down the application.

The TADA court has directed separate trial of the gangster in the blasts case in which the main trial is over and the court had yesterday started giving its verdict in batches.

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