Salem's trial: Witnesses to be kept secret

The designated judge PV Bavkar ordered the registrar to keep the list of witnesses in a sealed cover.

Ahead of the trial of extradited gangster Abu Salem in the high-profile Pradeep Jain murder case, a TADA court on Thursday allowed the prosecution plea to keep the identity of witnesses secret until the recording of evidence commences.

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Apprehending danger to the lives of witnesses, special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam on Thursday moved the court urging that names and addresses of witnesses be kept secret until the trial begins.

The designated judge PV Bavkar ordered the registrar to keep the list of witnesses in a sealed cover.

Police is likely to file a chargesheet against Salem and other accused on April 20.

City builder Pradeep Jain was murdered in 1995 in broad daylight allegedly at the instance of Salem over a property dispute.

Salem was extradited from Portugal on the basis of two cases being probed by the Crime Branch.

One of them was Pradeep Jain murder case and the other pertained to the killing of Ajit Dewani, former secretary to actor Manisha Koirala.