Sunday, February 12 2006 13:59 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: In a significant development, extradited gangster Abu Salem has confessed his role in the murder of Ajit Dewani, former secretary to Bollywood actress Manisha Koirala, by making a statement before a magistrate, police sources said today (Feb 12,2006).

Salem confessed before crime branch slueths and also before a magistrate on February 10 by giving a statement which shall be sent to Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court in a sealed cover on February 13, the sources said.

This is the third case in which Salem has confessed his role, the first being the 1993 bomb blast case and the second in Pradeep Jain murder case. So far, he has not retracted his confessions but has alleged police torture before a MCOCA court.

Salem is reported to have disclosed to the magistrate the names of all those Bollywood personalities from whom he had extorted money, the sources said.

The gangster also reportedly talked about his association with Shah Alam, who has been arrested in this case for helping Salem in extorting money from the victims in Bollywood, they added.

Dewani was murdered in 2002 allegedly on instructions from Salem. The alleged killers have been arrested and are facing trial. Eleven witnesses have already deposed before the court in the case.