Monday, November 21 2005 20:34 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate here today (Nov 21,2005) sent a communication to special TADA court purportedly containing confessional statement of extradited gangster Abu Salem, court sources said.

The communication was sent in a sealed envelope which is likely to be opened tomorrow, the sources told sources.

According to section 15 of TADA (P) Act, whenever an accused makes a confession before a CBI-Police officer of a particular rank he has to appear again before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate to confirm the statement made before the officer.

The contents of the communication sent by the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate to TADA court were not known, the sources said, indicating the court may go through the contents of the sealed envelope tomorrow. Salem is facing charges of his complicity in the 1993 Bombay bomb blast case that includes supply of arms and ammunition to the co-accused including actor Sanjay Dutt.

A total of 257 people were killed and 713 injured when serial explosions shattered 13 places in the city damaging property worth over Rs 30 crores on March 12, 1993.

Salem is in custody of CBI till November 23 and would be produced before TADA court on that day for further remand.