Mumbai Crime Branch to enquire into attack on Abu Salem

MUMBAI - The Crime Branch of the Mumbai police will investigate the attack on mafia don Abu Salem, allegedly by an aide of rival gangster Dawood Ibrahim, inside the Arthur Road Jail, a senior officer said here Sunday.

“We are in the process of taking over the investigation into the attack on Salem,,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Nisar Tamboli told IANS.

Salem, 43, was attacked during breakfast time Saturday with a sharpened spoon allegedly by Mohammed Dossa, a member of absconding mafia don Dawood Ibrahim’s gang. Salem had injuries on the face and neck.

He was shifted to the Taloja Central Jail in Raigad district late Saturday.

“The decision came after Salem was attacked. His safety was at stake and hence the decision was taken. He was shifted to the Taloja jail late last (Saturday) night,” said Saba Qureshi, Salem’s lawyer.

According to state home department officials, Salem was shifted to avoid any further security breaches or clashes between him and the rival gangsters.

A case has been lodged against Dossa at the N.M. Joshi Marg Police Station here.

Besides his alleged role in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts case, Salem is also named as an accused in the killing of music baron Gulshan Kumar in 1997.

Salem, whose name once spelt dread for Bollywood, is also considered instrumental in unsuccessful attempts on the lives of filmmakers Rajeev Rai and Rakesh Roshan a few years ago.

He, along with his girlfriend and Bollywood starlet Monica Bedi, was extradited to India in November 2005 after an assurance by the former National Democratic Alliance government that the duo would not be given the death penalty if found guilty in the crimes they were charged with.