Salem's plea seeking closure of cases to be heard on January 20

The designated Terrorists and Disruptive Activities Act (TADA) court has posted a plea filed by extradited gangster Abu Salem for hearing on January 20.

The designated Terrorists and Disruptive Activities Act (TADA) court has posted a plea filed by extradited gangster Abu Salem for hearing on January 20.

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Salem had, on Tuesday, moved a plea before the TADA court seeking an immediate halt to his trial in the March 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case and the Pradeep Jain murder cases. His plea came just days after the Portuguese Supreme Court's January 11 verdict, which upheld a Lisbon court decision holding India guilty of breaching the terms of Salem's extradition agreement. In his most recent plea before the TADA court, Salem contended that continuation of his trial would be illegal after the Portuguese SC verdict.

On September 15, 1993, the designated TADA court had issued proclamation against Abu Salem for his purported involvement in the Mumbai serial blasts. A month later, a Red Corner Notice was issued by the Interpol wing of CBI. On September 18, 2002, Lisbon police detained Abu Salem on the basis of the notice and he was ultimately brought to Mumbai on November 11, 2005. The extradition was based on India's assurance that Salem would neither be sentenced to death nor to imprisonment for a term exceeding 25 years.

However, Salem moved the Lisbon Court of Appeal after charges attracting death penalty and life imprisonment were slapped against him in March 1993 blasts case and the Pradeep Jain murder case - two of the eight cases for which he had been extradited.