Salem lived lavishly in Karachi: police

Underworld don Abu Salem lived as a reputed businessman in Pakistan for two years, the police said, reports Vijaita Singh.

Underworld don Abu Salem lived as a reputed businessman in Pakistan for two years, the police said. Salem is an accused in the 1993 serial blasts case and other heinous crimes in India.

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Delhi Police, who interrogated Salem for about a fortnight, said that he owned a palatial house in Karachi’s upmarket area and was running an office from there.

Police records show that he was living at C-218 Commercial Area on Tariq Road in Karachi.

“He came to Pakistan from Dubai some time in 1996. There he was assisting Dawood Ibrahim’s younger brother Anees in his extortion business,” said a senior police officer.

Salem told his interrogators that he was running an extortion business from Pakistan also. The police said he also owns apartments in Dubai, United States and Portugal.

Delhi Police have prepared a 116-page interrogation report on Abu Salem and will use it as key evidence against him in the three cases of extortion and threat registered against him in Delhi.

The police said Salem fled to Dubai at the fag end of 1993 soon after the Mumbai blasts.

He was living at Par Dubai, Kings Building (2nd floor) until 1995. The house is owned by Aziz Bilakhia, a gold smuggler who gave shelter to Salem. “From there he shifted to a four-room villa on Jumaira Irani Road in Dubai. He lived there for two years,” added the officer.

Salem told his interrogators that he organised shows at various places in the US where several Bollywood stars performed.
He still owns a house at 2548, Gadsen Walk, Dulath, in Georgia state of the US. “We do not know who is taking care of his property there. But Salem told us that he has a few partners who are looking after his entertainment business there,” said the officer.

Salem has allegedly admitted to his role in making an extortion call to two south Delhi-based businessmen, Rajat Nagrath and Ashok Gupta, in 2002. Salem is also accused of making a call to another alleged gangster Babloo Srivastava, threatening to eliminate him.