The Bombay High Court has sought a response from the Union of India after Abu Salem, convicted in the 1993 Bombay blasts case, filed a plea arguing that he has completed his sentence under the terms of his extradition from Portugal. Salem claims that the agreement between the two nations capped his imprisonment at 25 years, a period he insists he has already served.
A bench comprising Justices Sarang Kotwal and SM Modak took up the matter on March 10, granting Salem permission to amend his petition to include the Union of India as a respondent. The court also set March 26 as the next hearing date, allowing the State time to submit its reply.
Salem’s legal team argued that by considering his time as an undertrial, his conviction period, and remissions earned for good behavior, his total incarceration exceeds 25 years. He was extradited from Portugal in 2005 under assurances that his detention would not surpass this limit. The plea asserts that any further imprisonment would violate both the extradition terms and his constitutional rights.
The case now hinges on the government’s position, as the court weighs whether Salem’s continued detention aligns with India’s obligations under the extradition pact.