Dossa had cronies, Salem was alone

Mateen Hafeez | TNN

Mumbai: Deputy police commmissioner Suhas Warke said a slanging match broke out with Mustafa Dossa reportedly threatening to kill Abu Salem soon after they were brought out of their cells for breakfast before 7 on Saturday morning.

“It started with long stares and abuses followed. During the heated argument, Dossa, accompanied by around halfa-dozen cronies, suddenly pulled out the deadly spoon and lashed out at Salem, who was all by himself. The two were quickly pulled apart and Salem was provided medical aid immediately,’’ said senior inspector Vasant Tajne of the N M Joshi Marg police station.

Dossa, 55, was deported from the UAE on March 20, 2003, and has been lodged at the Arthur Road jail since. He is accused of conspiracy and helping in landing RDX used for the 1993 blasts at Raigad.

Police sources said Dossa has dominated all the other gangs in the jail as he is an old buddy of Dawood and has been in the prison for a long time.

Salem, 41, entered the Arthur Road jail two years later in 2005, when he was extradited with then girlfriend Monica Bedi from Portugal. Salem is charged with conspiracy in the 1993 serial blasts and delivering arms to Sanjay Dutt’s house, besides involvement in the murder of actress Manisha Koirala’s secretary Ajit Diwani, the attack on producer-director Rakesh Roshan and the killing of builder Om Prakash Kukreja.

Dossa suspected that Salem was passing on information about him and his aides to jail authorities. He had warned Salem when a special search of his cell threw up more than 15,000 coupons that could be used in the jail canteen, said a source. “Salem is reserved. He hardly talks to gang members, but has been seen interacting with policemen. It created an impression in Dossa’s mind that he was passing on information,’’ said an officer.

In 2007, a robber, John D’- Souza, was killed in jail with knives forged out of steel spoons and plates.

The Times of India, July 25, 2010