Mumbai: The Taloja prison authorities have expressed inability to give an exact date of release for gangster Abu Salem, who has been serving life imprisonment in the 1993 blasts case. The authorities pointed out that the release date would be decided only a month before his completion of 25 years of imprisonment, which is November 10, 2030.
In his plea, filed through his lawyer Farhana Shah, Salem had claimed that as per the condition for his extradition from Portugal, he cannot be imprisoned for more than 25 years. Accordingly, the Supreme Court had asked the state government to take appropriate steps for his release on completion of 25 years of his imprisonment.
The prison authorities have said that a letter has already been addressed to the home department for compliance of the order. However, the steps would be taken only a month prior to completion of his 25 years, they said, adding that they will follow whatever directions would be issued by the department.
Earlier, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had opposed Salem's plea, saying, “As per the order dated July 11, 2022, it is evident that he must undergo a punishment of 25 years, which includes the set-off.” The prison authorities are not obligated to furnish the exact date to the convict, underlined the CBI.
Salem had claimed that he had written a letter to the superintendent of the Nashik prison, where he is lodged, seeking information on his days left in prison. He had pleaded to tell him the date of his release after taking into consideration the total period of incarceration, including the undertrial, conviction and remission days.
Saying that the authorities failed to respond to his pleas as well to the request of his lawyer, Salem moved the special TADA court, seeking directions to prison authorities.
In his plea, he said that he has completed more than 23 years and seven months in prison. The prison authorities should either furnish the date of release from the Nashik Central prison on completion of the 25-year period or inform the period of incarceration left, he had demanded.
