New Delhi, Oct 05: With the legal process entering its last leg, CBI is all set to get extradited to India underworld don and main accused in the 1993 bomb blast case, Abu Salem, even as the Portuguese government has dropped one of the charges against him. Highly-placed CBI sources said a decision on Salem's extradition was expected within this month as the paper work during the trial has been completed.

According to Portuguese law, the trial has to be concluded within 45 working days of the court. This time period would end within this month as the court would be meeting after a long vacation.
The CBI has also hired a local legal consultant firm "Moraos Leitao and J Galvio tales" in Lisbon to assist the prosecutor general's office of Portugal in preparing the case as according to the law, no separate counsel could represent the agency in that country.

Meanwhile, the Portuguese government has dropped one of the three charges against Salem - of marrying a local girl to get a resident permit.
However, the two other charges -- obstructing government officials in performing their duty and entering Portugal with forged documents -- remain.

CBI is also hopeful of a favourable order on its petition for extradition moved in a higher court against Salem's girlfriend, Monica Bedi, after the trial court had ordered that she could be tried in Portugal as the offence committed by her in India and that country was same.

Bureau Report