Abu Salem will have to serve 25 year’s imprisonment: TADA court

A court ruled Abu Salem must serve a full 25-year sentence for his role in the 1993 Bombay bombings, dismissing his early release plea.

MUMBAI: A special court designated under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) has ruled that Abu Salem Abdul Qayyum Ansari, a convict in the March 1993 Bombay serial bombings case, must serve a full 25-year sentence, rejecting his claim that he had already completed his term, including remission. The court dismissed Salem’s plea, stating he was not entitled to early release.

Abu Salem will have to serve 25 year’s imprisonment: TADA court

Special Judge V D Kedar, citing a Supreme Court order from July 11, 2022, emphasised that the grievous nature of Salem’s offence precluded any special privileges to reduce his sentence. The apex court’s order stated: “Looking into the grievousness of the offence in which the applicant was involved, there is no question for this court exercising any special privileges to commute or to restrict the period of sentence of the applicant.”

The court clarified that Salem, 55, must complete the entire 25-year sentence. Salem’s plea argued that his sentence should include 2 years and 10 months of remission granted for good behaviour and special occasions, which he claimed brought his total incarceration to 25 years. However, the court dismissed this argument.

Extradited from Portugal on November 11, 2005, Salem faced trial and received life imprisonment in two TADA cases, including the 1993 Bombay bombings. He was sentenced on February 25, 2015, and September 7, 2017, respectively. In July 2022, the Supreme Court reduced his incarceration period to 25 years, citing a sovereign assurance given by the Indian government to Portugal during his extradition that Salem would not face the death penalty or imprisonment beyond 25 years.

Salem, currently lodged in Nashik Central Jail, filed the plea in October 2024, seeking a tentative release date. His advocate, Rishi Malhotra, contended that Salem had already served over 25 years, including 11 years, 9 months, and 26 days as an under-trial prisoner and 9 years, 3 days post-conviction. Adding remission of 2 years, 9 months, and 29 days, as well as special remission for events like Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Jayanti and India’s 75th Independence anniversary, Malhotra argued that Salem’s term was complete.

The Special Task Force (STF) of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) countered, stating that the recognition of Salem’s 25-year term would arise only a month before its completion. The STF maintained there was no obligation to inform Salem of his release date during the trial stage.

Judge Kedar highlighted the heinousness of Salem’s crimes, which included causing bomb explosions at vital government installations and crowded public places in Mumbai and its suburbs. The 1993 Bombay bombings involved 12 explosions, killing 257 people, injuring 713, and causing property damage worth ₹27 crore. Targets included the Bombay Stock Exchange, Shiv Sena Bhavan, Air India building, and Zaveri Bazaar.

Salem was accused of storing and transporting smuggled weapons, including AK-57 rifles, hand grenades, and ammunition, from Gujarat to Mumbai in vehicles with secret compartments. He fled to Portugal but was extradited to India under assurances from the Indian government.