Tuesday, December 6 2005 17:13 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: The crime branch of Mumbai Police has moved a special court to seek police custody of extradited gangster Abu Salem in the probe pertaining to murder of Ajit Dewani, Secretary of actress Manisha Koirala, in 2001.

The Ajit Dewani murder case is one of the two cases for which Mumbai Police will be allowed to prosecute Salem as per the conditions set by the Portugal government to extradite Salem.

The other case with the Mumbai police is the Pradeep Jain murder case of 1995, for which Salem is presently in custody of the Anti Terrorist Squad of Mumbai Police.

The application of Mumbai crime branch seeking transfer of custody of Salem has been filed with the special TADA court hearing the 1993 bomb blast case in whose custody Salem is now placed, sources told sources here today (Dec 06, 2005).

After the CBI interrogated Salem for his alleged role in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts in mid-November, it returned Salem's custody to the TADA court.

The Crime Branch sought transfer remand from the TADA court but it could not be granted immediately as Salem's custody has already been transferred to the ATS till December 17, for the Pradeep Jain murder probe.

As soon as the ATS surrenders custody of Salem to the TADA court, most likely on December 17, the crime branch would press for their plea for transfer of Salem's custody in Ajit Dewani murder case, the sources said.