Salem here, but trial can begin only in nine cases

For the other 27 cases with the Mumbai Police, the interrogation cannot be done without seeking permission from the Portugese court that authorised his deportation.

‘‘If the Mumbai Police want to interrogate or try him (Salem), they have to request the Portugal authorities with specific evidence,’’ confirmed O P Chatwal, Inspector General of the CBI’s Special Task Force.

Two murder cases filed by Mumbai Police were the only cases where evidence, that would fit the scrutiny of Portugese law, was deemed available: The murders of builders, Pradeep Jain in 1995 and Ajit Dewan in 2001.

When the agreement was being drawn up, the Mumbai Police had sent in more than two cases to hasten the extradition. But senior officials said most of the crimes in Mumbai — committed a decade ago — lacked witnesses and strong evidences.

After years of chasing Salem, the CBI got approval for extradition on October 19. According to the agreement, he cannot be sentenced to the death in any of the six cases.

The CBI’s Special Task Force is already interrogating Salem on his alleged role in the distribution of weapons and explosives used in executing the 1993 serial bombings, which claimed 257 lives.

Meanwhile, of the 30 cases in which Salem is wanted, the trial for 21 cases has already begun. The prominent ones include the murder of Gulshan Kumar in 1997, the attack on producer Rajiv Rai in 1997 and the attempt to murder directors Rakesh Roshan and Manmohan Shetty.

Of the major cases in which Salem is wanted, the common charge is extortion, from real estate dealers, diamond merchants and Bollywood. The co-accused in nine other cases were acquitted for lack of evidence.

17-year-old led to Salem’s downfall

: Perhaps the oldest case against underworld don Abu Salem lies in a weathered cardboard file. Its papers have turned yellow over the years. The case was about a girl, Samera, who Salem allegedly kidnapped and later married. It was in this case that Salem was first photographed and fingerprinted, the documents later being used to prove Salem’s identity to the Lisbon police in Portugal. Seventeen-year-old college student Samera Jumani — who lived next door to Abu Salem’s cousin in Jogeshwari (West) — went missing in 1991. A few days later, on January 16, 1992, her parents filed a case with the D N Nagar police. Samera returned four days later and told them she had been with Abu Salem — then known as Salem Ansari. He was arrested the next day, photographed and fingerprinted.

CBI to file chargesheet in 1993 bombings

: Abu Salem who drove a jeep in Portugal — had five suitcases of clothes of the best brands when he was flown to Mumbai by the CBI on Friday morning, officials said. But the good life is running out fast. A supplementary chargesheet will be filed by the CBI against Salem and extradited don Mustafa Ahmed Dossa — now in Arthur Road Jail — for his alleged involvement in the 1993 Mumbai blasts, CBI officials said today. Salem was grilled for the second day at bungalow K3 in Nariman Point. ‘‘Our limits are only till the doors of the bungalow,’’ said an officer. Salem was also taken for a medical check up at the St George Hospital on Saturday. CBI officials also clarified that Salem got married to Monica Bedi in the US after she embraced Islam.