A timeline on Abu Salem

NAME: Abu Salem Abdul Qayoom Ansari

ALIASES: Aqil Ahmed Azmi, Captain and Abu Samaan, among others

BORN: 1969 (according to the CBI; Mumbai police say 1962), in Mir Sarai, Azamgarh district in Uttar Pradesh. He was born in a lower middle-class family. His father was an advocate who was killed in a road accident. Salem reportedly has 12 passports.

After his father's death, Salem worked as a motor mechanic in Azamgarh before moving to Delhi, where he reportedly worked as a taxi driver.

1985: Came to Mumbai to earn a living

1986: Worked as a bread delivery boy between the suburbs of Bandra and Andheri, and later worked at a garment shop in Andheri (W)

1987: Became a real estate broker, operating from Arasa Market in Andheri (W)

1988: The first case registered against him at Andheri police station after he assaulted a colleague over a monetary issue

In the meantime, he married Samira Jumani, a girl from Jogeshwari, who is now in the United States. They had two sons.

1989: Handled some land deals for the Dawood gang and came in contact with Dawood's younger brother, Anees Ibrahim; worked as a driver and transported arms after Anees offered him a job; earned the nickname Abu Samaan for his proficiency at delivering goods at the right time and place

1990: Recruited to oversee Dawood's Mumbai operations

1992: Allegedly supplied weapons to actor Sanjay Dutt

March 1993: Played an active role in the serial blasts that killed more than 250 people, injured 700 others and damaged property worth Rs.27 crore

1993: Conspired to kill builder Omprakash Kukreja; left the country when the police started rounding up suspects in the serial blasts case

1994-97: Was Dawood's overseas pointsman for extorting money from film personalities and builders; was closest to Dawood after Chhota Shakeel

Salem moved to Dubai, where he had a business establishment called Kings of Car Trading. He organised stage shows where he invited actors. He was introduced to Monica Bedi during one such show.

1997: Masterminded the killing of music baron Gulshan Kumar.

Mid-1997, Salem reportedly went to Pakistan to make arrangements for Dawood's brother Humayun's marriage.

1998: Parted ways with Dawood after being sidelined

2000: Planned the kidnapping of the owner of Milton Plastics for a Rs.3 crore ransom

January, 2001: His men shot Ajit Diwani, personal secretary to actor Manisha Koirala

October, 2001: Four members of Salem's gang were shot down in Bandra before they could target Bollywood personalities Aamir Khan, Ashutosh Gowarikar and Jhamu Sughand

July 2002: Two shooters from Salem's gang opened fire on film director Lawrence D'souza; D'souza survived

September 18, 2002: Salem and Monica Bedi intercepted in Portugal for carrying forged documents; both sentenced to five years in jail

November 2005: Salem extradited from Portugal

July 24, 2007: Salem attacked in Arthur Road jail by Mustafa Dossa; shifted to Taloja jail

June 27 2013: Salem shot at in Taloja jail