Dewani murder: Salem aide held

By Mateen Hafeez and Kartikeya/TNN

Mumbai: The crime branch on Thursday arrested Shah Alam, an alleged associate of gangster Abu Salem, in connection with the 2001 murder of Ajit Dewani, secretary of actress Manisha Koirala. Salem and Alam were remanded to police custody till February 15 by the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act court on Thursday.

The cops provided documentary details of the communication between Alam and Salem to support their claim that the former was aware of the developments that led to Dewani’s murder.
Alam stunned the court when he accused the police of detaining him since January 26. He also claimed that he was assaulted by one of the police officers. Notwithstanding the allegations, the court’s decision weighed in favour of the crime branch argument that Alam was part of the murder conspiracy. Salem’s lawyers requested the court to allow his client to be taken to Hyderabad—where he is wanted in a case of passport forgery—and give a statement absolving his girlfriend Monica Bedi from the conspiracy. The plea was rejected by the court.

Salem, who was extradited on November 11 from Portugal, has been interrogated in two cases so far—the 1993 serial bomb blasts and builder Pradeep Jain’s murder.

The Times of India, February 3, 2006