New Delhi: Underworld don Abu Salem will continue to face trial in the 1993 Bombay blasts case, the Supreme Court ruled on Monday while hearing his plea to quash his extradition from Portugal. While ruling that Abu Salem's extradition is valid, the court vacated stay on various trails against him.
But the apex court allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to withdraw some charges against Salem. He is being tried for the 1993 Bombay blasts case, fake passport cases in Delhi and Hyderabad and three cases of extortion in the national capital.
Salem had filed the application after Portugal's Supreme Court terminated his extradition on the grounds that India had violated deportation rules. Salem was deported in 2005 on the condition that he would not be given the death sentence or a jail term that exceeded 25 years. He is being tried in the 1993 Bombay blasts case.
A bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam had reserved the verdict on July 9 saying it would pass order after considering CBI's submission that the agency is ready to drop certain charges against 45-year-old Salem under TADA and Explosive Substances Act in view of its commitment to Portuguese government at the time of his extradition that he shall not be awarded death penalty or detained in custody for more than 25 years if found guilty.
Attorney General GE Vahanwati had said government was committed to its assurance given to the Portuguese court and sought the apex court's permission to drop the additional charges framed against Salem by the trial court. The agency sought withdrawal of charges under section 5 and 6 of TADA and sections 4(b) and 5 of the Explosive Substances Act.
The Supreme Court had stayed the trial after Salem approached the apex court against the TADA court's order of January 31, rejecting his plea for closure of his trial.
(With additional information from PTI)
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