Date:09/06/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/06/09/stories/2007060904981300.htm

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Salem challenges trial under MCOCA

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has issued notice to the External Affairs Ministry and the Delhi Police on a petition by extradited underworld don Abu Salem that challenged his prosecution under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) for an alleged attempt to extort Rs. 2 crore from a businessman here.

Seeking quashing of the FIR under MCOCA, he submitted that he could not be prosecuted under the Act, as the extradition order had made it clear that he would be prosecuted only in casesregistered under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code.

Violation of order

Justice R.S. Sodhi, who heard the petition, directed the Ministry and the police to file replies by July 23.

On Friday, a court here sent him to judicial custody in the case. On June 2, it remanded him to police custody. Salem is being prosecuted in eight cases, including the 1993 Mumbai blasts case.

Production warrant

He was brought from Mumbai on May 21 on a production warrant by the court here.

He was extradited from Portugal in 2005.