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SIT to probe Mumbai blasts convict partying with Sena (UBT) leader: Fadnavis
Devendra Fadnavis said Mohd Salim, a close aide of Dawood Ibrahim, was out on parole when the photographs were taken
NAGPUR: A special investigation team (SIT) will be set up to probe the alleged links of Mohd Salim Mira Shaikh , who is serving life imprisonment in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts conspiracy case, with Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sudhakar Badgujar, Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Friday.
Fadnavis’s announcement came at the request of two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators Nitesh Rane and Ashish Shelar who produced photographs and video clips of a party allegedly hosted by the Sena’s Nasik city chief where Mohd Salim was present. They said this evidence establishes a link between the gangsters and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena.
Fadnavis, who holds the home portfolio in the state government, said Mohd Salim aka Salim Kutta, a close aide of Dawood Ibrahim, was out on parole.
“No such party or activities are allowed while on parole. He has violated the parole norms. It is a very serious issue as the criminal is seen partying and dancing in the photos and videos. It needs to be checked who the (other) people are and whose blessings they have. It sends a very wrong message out and the political leaders too need to act sensitively. We will probe the issue by SIT in a time-bound manner,” he said.
Public works department minister and guardian minister of Nashik Dada Bhuse said the case needs to be investigated seriously as there was a possible angle of terror funding to it. Shelar added that the criminal had come in a luxury imported car and the party was part of the culture of some Sena leaders.
Nitesh Rane, who flagged the issue in the assembly and outside, alleged that the party took place at Badgujar’s farmhouse a day before Mohd Salim’s parole ended. He said the Sena leader and the criminal were seen dancing together and there was a need to establish who were patronising criminals convicted in the blasts case.
“It is very serious that the Sena-UBT officer bearer was partying with the dangerous criminal who is responsible for 257 deaths and over 700 injured in the 1993 serial bomb blast. The criminal and his masters have the blessings of some big leaders and the links need to be established,” Rane said.
Mohammed Salim was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in connection with allegations that he facilitated the landing of arms and ammunition in the coastal Raigad district at the instance of Mohammed Dossa.
Salim, who was known as Salim Kutta (which means dog in Hindi) in underworld circles on account of his ruthless approach, was convicted for participating in the conspiracy leading to 1993 serial blasts and distribution of arms and ammunition used in explosions. The TADA court, which sentenced him accepted his request to drop the offensive epithet “Kutta”, from court records.
