New Delhi, September 27
The Delhi police special cell has arrested three associates of underworld don Abu Salem in South Delhi. The police claimed that the three were in the Capital to extort money from a businessman who refused to pay them the money. The police has seized a revolver, a mauser, a pistol along with 17 cartridges from their possession.
The accused involved two sharpshooters Sadiq (40) and Ishtiaq (28), residents of Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh, and Salem’s important lieutenant in India C.P. Rai (42), resident of Mau Nath Bhanjan, Uttar Pradesh who used to carry out his important work on his behalf.
The Rs 1 crore which they were demanding from the businessman was to be sent to Portugal to meet the legal expenses of Abu Salem in Portugal, the Joint Commissioner of Police (special cell), Mr Neeraj Kumar, said.
The accused had also identified another businessman as a potential extortion victim. Their aim was not to shoot the victims, but to fire a round and intimidate them.
This was the sixth case registered against Abu Salem by the police which would be sent to Portugal to expedite his deportation to India. There were some more people involved in the module and hunt was on to nab them, Mr Kumar said.
The police said Rai also had links with Romesh Sharma who was presently in jail.
During interrogation, Sadiq revealed that he left for Saudi Arabia from his village and did some sundry jobs. Since his younger brother was closely associated with Abu Salem in his nefarious activities, he too started committing crime actively.
C.P. Rai confessed that he worked as a personal assistant to a former MP and had spent considerable time in Delhi. He came in contact with Salem through his associate Narender Mishra, alias Pattu Mishra, who was killed
during an encounter with the UP police in 1998.
The interrogation of the accused was expected to yield details about the gang’s plans to widen its network in Delhi and the neighbouring areas, the police added.
Rai was believed to be the main organiser of hitmen for Abu Salem.
The DCP (special cell), Mr Ashok Chand, said their detailed interrogation was expected to reveal the activities of the Abu Salem gang in north India.
Abu Salem was arrested along with his wife and Bollywood starlet Monica Bedi on September 18 in Portugal and efforts are on to get him deported to India.
A Delhi court, meanwhile, has remanded the accused in police custody till October 4.
They were produced before Metropolitan Magistrate Paramjit Singh, who remanded them in police custody.
