Abu Salem attack: Cops yet to get custody of gunman

Almost three days after gangster Abu Salem was shot at in Taloja jail, the Navi Mumbai police investigating the incident have not got custody of the gunman.
The police said that they have applied for custody of Devendra Baburao Jagtap, 29, alias JD, but there has been no decision yet.

“We have made an application in the Thane Sessions Court for his custody, but haven’t received any intimation from the court so far,” said Fateh Singh Patil, additional commissioner of police, Navi Mumbai. He said that the police were able to conduct only a basic interrogation of JD as he is still in judicial custody.
JD was arrested in February 2010 in connection with the murder of lawyer Shahid Azmi and has been in judicial custody since. There are also some other cases pending against him.

“JD gave contradictory statements when he was interrogated just after the incident. Initially, he said that he carried the katta (gun) inside his tiffin box. Then he said that he had pasted it on his leg when he was returning to the jail after an appearance in court that day,” said Srikant Pathak, deputy commissioner of police (crime).

Asked whether Salem may have staged the entire incident as part of a wider plan to strengthen the case for his extradition, Patil said, “We are not in a position to say anything about that as the entire picture will be clear only when we interrogate JD after taking him in our custody.”