Abu Salem, two others convicted in builder murder case

Mumbai, Feb 16 (IANS) A special court here on Monday convicted mafia don Abu Salem and two others for their role in the murder of builder Pradeep Jain in 1995.

The Special Court for Terrorist and Disruptive Act (TADA) case pronounced Salem, Mehndi Hassan and realtor Virendra Jhamb guilty.

Jain was shot dead outside his house in Juhu March 7, 1995 following an altercation over a property dispute with Salem and others.

Two prime accused in the case, Namim Khan and Riaz Siddiqui, later turned police witnesses, but Salem and others denied their role in the crime.

Siddiqui, who provided a detailed statement about the roles of Salem and others in the murder, subsequently retracted his statement and is being tried separately in the same case.

Salem is also an accused in the March 12, 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts and was an absconder till being extradited by Portugal Nov 11, 2005. Since then, he has been facing trial in various cases and lodged in jails in Mumbai and Thane.