New Delhi, Nov 24: Amidst reports that the judicial custody of underworld don and main accused in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blast Abu Salem would be extended in Portugal, CBI is preparing an extradition request which could have a clause against award of death penalty to him. The extradition case would list three CBI cases against him, five cases in Delhi, one case in Madhya Pradesh besides 50 odd cases registered against him by the Mumbai police, agency sources said. The sources said under the relevant sections of Portugese laws, the judicial custody of Salem would be extended for another 90 days. Asked about the absence of an extradition treaty with Portugal, the sources said the request was being made under Section Three (I) of the extradition Act of 1962 which enables the government to act with any nation even with which "we do not have the extradition treaty."
The sources said since the Portuguese law clearly states that no one could be extradited to any country which has a provision for a death penalty, the government`s extradition request was likely to include Section 34(I) of the extradition Act, which could help in doing away with the death penalty and automatically convert it into life sentence.


Bureau Report