Mumbai: Arun Gawli and Abu Salem, two men who have had links with organised crime, were taken to the government-run J.J. Hospital here on Saturday morning following medical complaints.

Hospital dean Pravin Shingare said both patients were brought for examination and allowed to go back after treatment.

While Gawli complained of chest pain, high blood pressure and vomiting, Salem complained of severe back and knee pain, Shingare told IANS.

Gawli, a gangster-turned-legislator, was slapped with the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) this week on extortion charges.

Salem is under trial in eight cases, three in Mumbai and the rest around the country.

Advocate Tejbahadur Thakur, who represents both Gawli and Salem, said Salem in recent times has been suffering from severe back and joint pains. He developed the problems since he was not used to sleeping on the jail floor, he said.

The knee pain has been so severe that Salem cannot bend or walk easily, Thakur added.

Recently, the Maharashtra government had prohibited police authorities from taking Salem out of jail except for medical purposes. Mumbai Police apprehend death threats to the gangster while he is being taken from the Arthur Road Jail to court and back.

 

Source : IANS