Abu Salem to move European court for early release after getting life in Mumbai blasts case

Salem claimed the TADA court convicted him under charges of TADA Act and criminal conspiracy under Indian Penal Code, which were not mentioned in the extradition order

With the special TADA court convicting underworld gangster Abu Salem to life imprisonment for his involvement in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, the extradited gangster is all set to push his battle for early release with the European Court of Human Rights.

Salem also claimed the treaty was violated when he was convicted and sentenced in 2015, in connection with 1995 Pradeep Jain murder case. (FILE)

The gangster had earlier this year approached the ECHR against the Government of India, claiming the extradition treaty with Portugal was violated.

While the court of ECHR has already asked both Indian government and Portugal government to file their replies on allegations made by Salem for violation of extradition, Salem would be sending another application with Thursday’s order.

Salem claimed the TADA court convicted him under charges of TADA Act and criminal conspiracy under Indian Penal Code, which were not mentioned in the extradition order.

The Indian government had promised that the charges not mentioned in the treaty order would be dropped.

Salem also claimed the treaty was violated when he was convicted and sentenced in 2015, in connection with 1995 Pradeep Jain murder case.

Sudeep Pasbola, lawyer for Salem on extradition, said, “The Indian government has breached several conditions of the extradition orders passed by the government of Portugal while allowing India’s request to extradite Abu Salem. The most important is that he has been convicted and tried for several new cases, new charges and also on the basis of new evidence that was not mentioned in the extradition order.”