Bombay High Court Dismisses Abu Salem's Release Plea

The India===Bombay High Court dismissed gangster Abu Salem's plea for immediate release, which was based on his claim of having served 25 years in jail, including remission for good behavior. The court ruled that his plea was premature and misconceived, stating that the 25-year jail term, mandated by the extradition treaty with Portugal, constitutes a substantive sentence and is not subject to reduction by ordinary prison remissions. A simple calculation shows his term would expire in November 2030. The court relied on a Supreme Court judgment that held remission calculations should occur a month before an applicant's release. The Indian government had opposed Salem's plea, noting he had only served 19 years and that the 25-year term refers to actual incarceration. Salem was extradited from Portugal in 2005 under assurances that he would not face the death penalty and would not be imprisoned for more than 25 years. He was convicted in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts case and the murder of Pradeep Jain.