Saturday, November 26 2005 14:22 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: A Special court today (Nov 26, 2005) directed Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of Mumbai police to produce extradited gangster Abu Salem on November 29 to record his statement on allegations of police assault in jail.

The direction was given by designated TADA Judge P V Bavkar on a petition filed by Salem's lawyers alleging assault on Salem by police in jail.

However, the judge turned down the plea of Salem's lawyers to remand the gangster to judicial custody saying he would decide about it on November 29.

The court took on record the statement of Prosecutor Rohini Salian that Salem was subjected to medical tests yesterday (Nov 25, 2005) and today and that his reports were normal except for migraine, which he has been suffering from since the last three years.

Salem's counsel moved a designated TADA court alleging that he was beaten up at Bhoiwada lock-up during interrogation yesterday night and demanded his statement be recorded by the court.

Salem, remanded to police custody in a 1995 murder case of real estate developer Pradeep Jain, told his lawyers who met him early today that he was beaten up last night at the police station lock-up, defence lawyer Ashok Sarogi said.

The lawyers also demanded that Salem may be placed in judicial custody instead of police custody in view of alleged assault by police. They further demanded that Salem may be sent for medical check up immediately.

Salem had yesterday told the court that he apprehended by Mumbai Police and had sought the court's protection. Hearing his plea the court directed police not to subject him to third-degree methods during interrogation.