|
- By a Parinda Crime Reporter, March 02, 2006, 11:58 IST
Mumbai: The confession made by gangster Abu Salem, that corroborates the charges against him and also tallies with the statements of other accused and approvers may seal the fate of Sanjay Dutt. The sealed envelope containing Salem’s confession was opened and read out in the TADA court today.
Sanju’s past seems to be returning to haunt him.
His alleged role in the serial bomb blasts of 1993 is back in focus.
Dutt's woes resurfaced after the extradited don confessed before the CBI on November 20 last. Abu said in the confession that Dutt was aware about the delivery of the consignment to his house, which contained arms and ammunition. Salem has described how the arms were brought in a Maruti van from Bhiwandi to Dutt's Bungalow in Pali Hill.
Salem said that during the second week of January 1993 and after the Bombay riots, he along with Aziz (for whom Salem was working at that time), Baba Chauhan and one Gujarati boy (whose name he does not remember now) brought the Maruti van to Mumbai. Salem has thrown light on Samir Hingora and Hanif Lakdawala's involvement, too. He has said that it was Samir who had taken him and Baba Chauhan to Sanjay Dutt's house. In front of Sanjay and others, the cavities created inside the van were opened. At that time even Salem did not know that there were arms and ammunition in the van, it is claimed in the 'confession. Till then Salem was under the impression that he was carrying a silver consignment, it is further claimed in the confession.
In the van, there were 9 AK-56 rifles, 100 hand grenades and ammunition. Out of these arms, Sanjay kept 3 rifles and some hand grenades. After two days, Aziz told Salem to collect the arms from the star's home. But Sanjay gave Salem only 2 rifles and some hand grenades while he kept one AK-56 and scores of hand grenades with himself.
It must be recalled that about a month after the bomb blasts, Sanjay's name popped up in the investigations. Two film producers, Samir Hingora and Hanif Kadawala, had been arrested on suspicion of being part of the conspiracy that led to the blasts.
Under interrogation, they claimed they had bought three AK-56 machine guns. They told the police that they had sold one of them to Sanjay. When this came to light, Sanjay was in Mauritius for a film shooting. He immediately denied that he had the gun in his possession. Sanjay said he owned other licensed guns but denied having an AK-56.
The prosecution on Wednesday told the TADA court that Abu Salem's trial should be conducted separately as a verdict is expected in the bomb blasts case any moment. The court informed the prosecution that this could be decided only after charges were framed against Salem, as a supplementary chargesheet has been filed on Wednesday. The court clarified that it will ultimately decide how the trial will be conducted, whether it should be clubbed or be separated.
TADA states that the confession of a co-accused is admissible if both the accused are tried and charged together in the same trial. Hence, legal fraternity is of the opinion that if the trial is separated; then Sanjay Dutt will have a good chance of going scot free as Salem's confession won't have any effect on Sanjay Dutt's status after this.
Sanjay was picked up as soon as he landed at the airport. When he was interrogated, he changed his version and confessed to possessing the AK-56. As his family had received several threats during the Mumbai riots two months earlier, Sanjay claimed he had bought the gun to protect them.
Mumbai was a 'notified area' during the riots. Carrying a weapon in such an area, as Sanjay did, was an offence. So, he was arrested under TADA. Since he had bought the gun from bomb blast suspects, the actor was accused of joining hands with anti-national elements' in the bomb blast conspiracy.
|
