Mumbai: The CBI on Tuesday informed a Special
Court that it has challenged the Portugal Supreme Court`s
cancellation of extradition of gangster Abu Salem to India and
his trial in the 1993 serial bomb blasts should go on here.
The CBI, India`s nodal agency for extradition cases, has
moved Portugal`s Constitutional Court against the Supreme
Court`s recent ruling confirming the decision to terminate the
extradition of Salem in 2005 to face trial in various cases.
"We have challenged the order of Portugal Supreme Court,
which had cancelled Abu Salem`s extradition, in the
Constitutional Court of Portugal. (Hence), the trial of Salem
in 1993 serial bomb blasts case should go on," the Central
agency told the Special TADA Court here.
In the second week of January, Portugal`s Supreme Court
had upheld an order which cancelled extradition of Salem for
violation of deportation rules by slapping new charges which
attracted death penalty.
Rejecting an appeal by Indian authorities, the Portugal
Supreme Court had upheld the order of Court of Appeal in
Lisbon which had held that there was a breach of Rule of
Speciality in the matter of extradition of the 46-year-old
underworld don.
Reacting to the order, the CBI had then claimed the
Portugal Supreme Court has not cancelled the extradition of
Salem and that only a technical point had been raised. It also
added the order is not expected to have any repercussions on
the status of Salem and on the on-going trial against him in
India.
Following the Portugal court order, Salem, lodged in
Arthur Road Jail here, had moved the TADA Court seeking
closure of the trial against him in the 1993 Mumbai blasts.
Salem is also facing trial in various other criminal cases.
India had given an executive assurance to Portugal that
it would not slap any charges against Salem which would
attract death penalty and would not keep him behind bars for
more than 25 years.
PTI
