Friday, December 9 2005 15:37 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: CBI today (Dec 9,2005) produced extradited gangster Abu Salem before a TADA court, which amended charges filed against him in 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts case.

CBI had filed chargesheets earlier showing Salem as absconding accused. Since Salem was extradited to India from Portugal, it was required to amend the charges to change his status from absconding accused to regular accused.

CBI informed the court today that it would file supplementary charge sheet against Salem within 30 days following which the charges would be read out to him.

CBI prosecutor Ujjawal Nikam also urged the court to conduct separate trial of Salem so that the trial of other accused should not suffer.

The designated Judge P D Kode asked 84 accused on bail including film star Sanjay Dutt and 30 others in custody whether they had any objections in amending charge against Salem.

All the accused replied in the negative following which the court amended the charges.

This is for the first time in the TADA court that Salem and Dutt appeared together.

Salem is charged with supplying arms and ammunitions to co-accused including Sanjay Dutt, prior 1993 bomb blast.

Dutt has denied the charges and witnesses produced against him also turned hostile.

However, Salem has reportedly confessed to CBI his role in 1993 bomb blast, but contents of his confession have not (not) been made public although it has been placed before the court.

The court directed all the accused on bail to remain present on December 20 when Salem will be produced for extension of judicial remand.