New Delhi: A businessman, who was under threat from gangster Abu Salem, identified the voice of the don in a city court in a case in which five of his associates were charged with conspiring to run an organised crime syndicate for extorting money from businessmen in Delhi.

However, another witness retracted from his previous statement recorded with the police in the court of special Judge Prem Kumar that he was getting calls from the don.

The businessman, who deposed as prosecution witness identified Salem's voice and said he was called to the police station to verify the voice of don in his conversation with another person.

The cassette containing the alleged conversation between Salem and a Delhi-based contractor who had received threats from the don was played in the court.

"It was the same voice and the same conversation which was played at the police station," he said.

The businessman said in February, Salem had threatened him from Malaysia on a mobile phone to give pay money to Chanchal Mehta, accused in the case stating that he owes outstanding dues to her late husband with whom he had business relationship.

Besides, Mehta, others chargesheeted under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the case are Pawan Kumar Mittal alias Raja Bhai, Sajjan Soni alias Babu Bhai (both residents of Delhi) Majid Khan alias Raju Bhai and Mohd Ashraf alias Babloo.

PTI