Journalism of Courage
SC seeks Centre’s reply on Abu Salem’s plea stating he can’t be jailed for over 25 years
In 2017, a designated Terrorism and Disruptive Activities Act (TADA) court had sentenced Salem to life imprisonment after holding him and five others guilty in the Mumbai serial blasts case that left 257 people dead.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought the Centre’s response to 1993 Mumbai serial blasts convict Abu Salem’s plea that he cannot be imprisoned for more than 25 years in view of the treaty between India and Portugal according to which he was extradited.
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Salem was extradited from Portugal on November 11, 2005. In 2017, a designated Terrorism and Disruptive Activities Act (TADA) court had sentenced Salem to life imprisonment after holding him and five others guilty in the Mumbai serial blasts case that left 257 people dead.
A bench of Justices S K Kaul and M M Sundresh issued notice to the Centre on Salem’s plea that the 2017 sentencing him to life imprisonment was in contravention of the terms of the extradition agreement. The court gave the Centre four weeks time to reply.
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Salem’s plea said that “despite the categorical assurances by the Government of India that the appellant will not be sentenced for more than 25 years which assurances formed part of judicial proceedings right till the Supreme Court of Portugal and upon which the Extradition Order was passed, there was a complete and gross violation by the TADA Court when it imposed sentences of life imprisonment for certain offences”.
Salem was also sentenced to life imprisonment in February 2015 by a special TADA court in another case of murder of Mumbai-based builder Pradeep Jain in 1995.
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