Abu Salem seeks parole to get married, HC rejects plea
What's the story
A petition by 46-year-old gangster and terror convict Abu Salem for parole to get married was rejected by the Bombay High Court today. Salem, who is serving life imprisonment in 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, petitioned the HC that he should be allowed to maintain family and social ties. He wanted a month-long parole to marry Kausar Bahar, a resident of Thane's Mumbra area.
Humanitarian grounds
Parole request may be considered on 'humanitarian-grounds': Salem to HC
Salem, who is lodged at Taloja jail in Navi Mumbai, approached the HC after the prison authorities rejected his plea for parole. In his plea, Salem said the parole request may be considered on "humanitarian-grounds" as he "cannot shun his duty" towards the woman he has promised to marry. He said Kausar also doesn't intend to marry anyone else. Salem is already married once.
Terrorism charges
Salem convicted on serious terrorism-charges, can't release on parole: Court
A division bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice VK Tahilramani and Justice MS Sonak, rejected the petition, observing that Salem has been convicted on serious charges of terrorism and cannot be released on parole. "We cannot ignore the fact that he has been convicted in a Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) case on terrorism charges. Hence, the petition is dismissed," the court ruled.
Details
Salem was arrested in Portugal, extradited to India in 2005
Salem, who had been absconding after the 1993 serial blasts in which nearly 300 people were killed, was arrested in Portugal in 2002 in a fake passport case. He was extradited to India in November 2005 and since then he is lodged in the jail. Last year, a special court convicted Salem in the case under various sections of IPC, TADA, and Arms Act.