Three persons allegedly involved in the murder of Mumbai's prominent trade union leader Datta Samant in 1997 were arrested at Dehradun in Uttaranchal, official sources said.

The Uttaranchal police had arrested the three people during a routine investigation in an abduction case, the sources said. During interrogation, it came to light that they were wanted in Mumbai in connection with the murder case, the sources said.

Samant was shot dead by four contract killers outside his house on January 16, 1997.

"Vijay Choudhary and his accomplice will be brought to Mumbai soon after the Uttaranchal police completes their probe," police sources said.

Meanwhile, the brother of the deceased leader, Dada Samant, has demanded the re-opening of the case and said the investigation in the murder should be carried out afresh.

In November 1997, the case was closed down as unresolved. Sixteen people were named as accused, of which nine, including underworld dons Chhota Rajan and Guru Satam, are absconding.

Samant, the leader of Magar Aghadi (Workers' Front), which has more than 300,000 members, was the third major leader to be murdered in the 1990s.

Samant was known for tough bargaining tactics. He led numerous strikes, including the Great Strike of 1982 to 1983 in Mumbai's cotton mills, which was one of the largest protracted strikes in labour history, with 250,000 workers abstaining from work for 20 months.