The Maharashtra government has told the Bombay High Court that allowing gangster Abu Salem to go on parole could have serious consequences, including the risk of him fleeing the country and damaging diplomatic relations between India and Portugal. In an affidavit submitted to the court on Tuesday, the state opposed Salem’s request for 14 days of parole following the death of his elder brother. The government said that if any relief is to be granted, it should be limited to a maximum of two days as emergency parole.
The matter was heard by a division bench of Justices A S Gadkari and Shyam Chandak. During the hearing, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said it was the prosecuting agency in Salem’s cases and must be added as a respondent. The CBI also warned that granting Salem bail or parole could create law and order problems.
The High Court said it would take up the matter for further hearing on January 28.
According to the affidavit filed by Inspector General of Prisons Suhas Warke, Salem is an international criminal who has been involved in organised crime for several decades. It stated that he was extradited from Portugal under a treaty that included specific assurances given by the Indian government.
India bound to respect treaty with Portugal, says govt affidavit
The affidavit stressed that India is bound to honour the conditions agreed upon with Portugal at the time of extradition. It warned that if Salem absconds while on parole, it could lead to serious diplomatic issues between the two countries and pose a threat to public safety.
The state also pointed out that Salem had fled India in 1993 to avoid arrest, raising fears that he could do so again if released, even temporarily.
Salem was arrested in Lisbon and brought back to India in November 2005. In Portugal, he had been convicted for travelling on a fake passport.
The affidavit further revealed that when Salem applied for parole, a verification report was sought from the Uttar Pradesh police, as he intended to travel to Azamgarh. The police submitted a negative report, stating that Saraymir in Azamgarh is a communally sensitive area. Based on this, his request for 14 days of parole was rejected.
The government added that Salem could be allowed two days of parole only, and the time spent travelling would be counted as part of his sentence.
Salem is currently serving life imprisonment in three cases, including the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case. He has also been sentenced to 25 years in several other criminal cases.
