Salem sent to 25 days judicial custody in MCOCA case

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Friday sent gangster Abu Salem to judicial custody till July two in a MCOCA case registered in 2002 for allegedly attempting to extort Rs five crore from a businessman.

Salem, who was produced before Additional Sessions Judge Ravinder Kaur on expiry of his seven-day custodial interrogation in the case, was sent to jail for 25 days.

Earlier, the court, on May 24, had allowed the Delhi Police Special Cell custodial interrogation of the extradited gangster in the case.

Meanwhile, Salem's counsel informed the court that they have challenged the imposition of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crimes Act (MCOCA) in the Delhi High Court, which is likely to come up for hearing today itself.

He along with his five members of his syndicate are accused of demanding Rs five crore as protection money from one Ashok Gupta, a resident of Greater Kailash here.

Besides Salem, the other five accused are-- Pawan Kumar Mittal alias Raja Bhai, Sajjan Soni alias Babu Bhai, Majid Khan alias Raju Bhai, Mohd Ashraf alias Babloo and a woman Chanchal Mehta.

Salem, who is facing trial in eight cases in the country including infamous 1993 Mumbai blasts case was lodged in Arthur Road jail there after his extradition from Portugal in 2005.

He was brought here from Mumbai on May 21 following a production warrant by a city court.