Court takes serious notice of Salem's TV interview

Mumbai, Oct 3 (UNI) A TADA court today took serious notice of on-camera interview of gangster and Mumbai serial bomb blasts accused Abu Salem telecast by a satellite television channel recently.

After asking the TV channel reporter to identify himself in the court, Judge Pramod Kode ordered ban on cameras in the court premises, adding if any reporter was found with one, permission to cover proceedings of the court would be withdrawn and his entry prohibited.

It is learnt that Salem was interviewed on camera on September 29 when he learnt of the conviction of his friend Monica Bedi by a Hyderabad court in a passport forgery case.

When CBI prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam informed the court on Friday that the former Bollywood actor was sentenced to five years' jail term in the forgery case, a grim-faced Salem looked at the prosecutor but did not say any thing.

Salem's reaction on Bedi's conviction was subsequently sought and recorded the same day, apparantly in the premises of the Arthur Road where the TADA court is located.

He was brought to the court room that day for extension of his judicial remand and also for hearing the application of Delhi police who has sought his remand in an extortion case.

Both Salem and Bedi were extradited from Portugal on November 11 2005.

Salem is to be tried separately in the blasts case.

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