A Delhi court today fixed October 29 for hearing the bail plea of gangster Abu Salem who along with others is facing trial for allegedly demanding Rs 5 crore as protection money from a businessman here in 2002.
Salem, who was extradited from Portugal in November 2005, was produced before Additional Sessions Judge Dharmesh Sharm. Public prosecutor Rajiv Mohan sought time to file reply on his bail plea.
The court fixed the matter for October 29 when it would also record statements of prosecution witnesses in the case.
In his bail plea filed through advocate M S Khan, Salem said he has already been granted bail in two cases pending against him in separate courts in Delhi and due to his long "incarceration", he is entitled to get relief.
"It is pertinent to mention here that applicant-accused (Salem) in view of his long incarceration is entitled to be released on bail under the provisions contained in section 436 A of CrPC and he has been granted bail in other two cases pending against him in Delhi courts," he said, adding there was no chance of his absconding or tampering with evidence.
Salem, along with five other accused, is facing trial for demanding Rs 5 crore as protection money from businessman Ashok Gupta, a resident of Greater Kailash here.
The other accused facing trial in the case are -- Chanchal Mehta, Majid Khan, Pawan Kumar Mittal and Mohd Ashraf. One of the accused, Sajjan Kumar Soni, died during the pendency of the case.
According to the police, Salem allegedly made threat calls to businessman Ashok Gupta in 2002 to extort Rs 5 crore from him as protection money. Police had also recorded some of the alleged telephonic calls.
Salem, who is facing trial in eight cases in the country including the 1993 Mumbai blasts case, is lodged in a jail in Mumbai after his extradition from Portugal in 2005.
