A court here is exploring the possibility of recording evidence in an extortion case against extradited gangster Abu Salem through video conferencing to avoid hassles caused to security agencies in shuttling him between Mumbai and Delhi. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Kaveri Baweja issued a notice to Arthur Road Jail authorities at Mumbai,where the underworld don is lodged at present,directing them to file a report whether a link could be established through video conferencing at Delhi for recording of evidence by August 10. Arvind Kumar Shukla,counsel for Salem,sought time from the court to reply whether evidence could be recorded through video conferencing from prison in Mumbai during the course of trial. Shukla,who submitted that statement of witnesses could be recorded only in the presence of accused,was,however,reminded by the court that in several cases even sessions courts had recorded evidence through video conferencing without physical presence of accused. Salem,who was extradited from Portugal in November,2005,is being tried along with three others Ishtiya Ahmed,C P Rai and Sadiq Ali for allegedly making threat calls to businessmen Puneet Khanna and Rajat Nagrath,owner of Delhi-based Allied Communications,demanding Rs one crore in 2002. Salem,who is said to be facing threats from rival gangs,was brought at Tis Hazari courts here amid tight arrangements with scores of para-military jawans being deployed in and around the court complex. The court itself floated the idea of recording evidence through video conferencing in the case against Salem saying security agencies were put on extra vigil every time the gangster is produced before it. Meanwhile,the Mumbai police moved an application before the court seeking its direction to send Salem to Tihar Jail authorities as he was to be produced before the sessions court at Patiala House Courts on August six,which was allowed by the CMM. The court adjourned the hearings on the bail plea of Salem for August 10 and for recording the statement of witnesses in the case for August 19. The court,which had issued a non-bailable warrant against accused Ahmed on July 21 rejecting his application for exemption from appearance on medical ground as it was not annexed with proper documents,cancelled its order warning him to be careful in future.
