Salem goes back on confession

Mumbai: Don Abu Salem and his associate Mohammed Shah Alam on Wednesday retracted their confession in the 2001 murder of Ajit Dewani, the secretary of actor Manisha Koirala, reports our special correspondent.

The retraction came when they were produced for further remand before a special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act court. Salem told the judge, Abhay Thipsay, police had extracted the confession by force.

The duo was remanded in judicial custody till March 1. The retractions would be considered at a later stage of the trial.

Extradited from Portugal in November, the Bombay blasts accused was handed to Mumbai police on January 18 in connection with the Dewani murder case.

Wall summons to Delhi cops

New Delhi (PTI): Delhi High Court issued summons to police officials for wilful defiance of its orders on preventing the defacing of public walls an properties on Wednesday.

The court summoned the station house officers of eight police stations and asked the police commissioner to initiate disciplinary action against them.

The directives were passed after advocate Monica Arora furnished photographs to prove that the defacing of public properties continues unabated despite the court’s October 28 order.

The court also issued notice to the Delhi Metro council to file a report over the use of the newly installed metro pillar by various organisations to promote their campaigns. The next hearing will take place on March 29.

Kohli notice

New Delhi (PTI): Maninder Pal Singh Kohli, accused of raping and murdering schoolgirl Hannah Foster in Britain, has filed a notice of contempt of court against her parents.

Trevor and Hilary Foster have written to the President, Prime Minister and the Delhi High Court chief justice to speed-up Kohli’s extradition to Britain.

Minister’s kin

Mumbai (PTI): Two brothers of Gujarat minister Purshottam Solanki have been held on the charge of threatening a man and asking him to vacate his rooms in an Andheri chawl, police said on Wednesday. The brothers allegedly issued the threat on behalf of a builder.

Schoolgirl killed

Kolhapur (PTI): A 14-year-old girl was allegedly raped and murdered in Maharashtra’s Kolhapur district on Tuesday, police said. She was abducted while returning home from school.

The Thar Express between India’s Munaba and Pakistan’s Khokrapar will be flagged off on February 18, restoring the Indo-Pak rail route through Rajasthan after a 40-year gap.