Wednesday, November 23 2005 12:28 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: The CBI yesterday (Nov 22,2005) termed allegations levelled against it by one of the lawyers of extradited gangster Abu Salem of threatening to have him removed through Salem as 'baseless' and 'made with some ulterior motive'.

In its reply on the application moved by Salem's lawyer O A Siddiqui to special TADA court urging for withdrawal from the case, the CBI denied all the allegations made against the investigation agency in the application.

"It appears that the application has been filed with some ulterior motive," the CBI said adding, the matter of engagement of a defence counsel by the accused was not to be commented upon by the investigating agency and the accused was free to engage the counsel of his choice to defend him.

The investigating agency said that even after giving Salem's interview to Siddiqui on November 16, another of Salem's lawyer Ashok Sarogi's visit to CBI or STF office was allegedly shown to level baseless and unsubstantial allegation against the CBI.

The designated judge P D Kode had asked CBI to file a reply on the application moved by Salem's lawyer Siddiqui while refusing to allow the lawyer to withdraw from the case and asked him to wait till November 23 when Salem would be produced for remand.

In his application, Siddiqui had alleged that CBI had informed Salem's another lawyer Ashok Saorgi that Salem would dance to the tune of the agency and he would say whatever they wanted him to say.

He further alleged that CBI wanted them to withdraw and had even threatened to have the lawyers removed through Salem.

As of now, Salem is defended by lawyers Siddiqui and Sarogi.

On November 11, the judge had asked Salem whether he wanted to be defended by a lawyer to which the gangster said he needed three to four days to decide.

However, Siddiqui, who was present in the court, rose to say that he had been instructed by Salem's lawyer who had appeared for him in a Portugal court, to defend Salem in Mumbai's TADA court.

He then sought court's permission to seek instructions from Salem and the court allowed his plea following which the accused said he would retain Siddiqui as his lawyer for the time being.