Mumbai: In the absence of death, CBI seeks lifer for Abu Salem

Abu Salem

Arguing on the point of sentencing in the 1993 bomb blasts case, the CBI counsel on Tuesday told the TADA court that they wanted to seek a death sentence for gangster Abu Salem, but considering the extradition treaty with Portugal, they have asked for a life sentence.

CBI counsel Deepak Salvi argued in court over Salem and Riyaz Siddique's sentences. Explaining the court that Salem was one of the main conspirators, Salvi said, "Since he has already been held guilty for the offence under the sections of TADA (P) Act in the Pradeep Jain murder case, this is the second time he has been held as a ‘terrorist'."

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He added, "The fact that his father was an advocate goes on to show that he did not come from an illiterate, uncivilised background. Despite being the son of a man of law, he chose to wilfully, consciously and deliberately work against not only rule of law, but against his own motherland."

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On the point of sentencing, Salvi said the law clearly finds Salem deserves the capital punishment, "However, he has been handed over by Portugal on the basis of solemn sovereign assurances and section 34 (c) of the Indian Extradition Act, 1962, which bars the punishment of death penalty to be awarded to accused in the case when the sending state does not provide for death penalty for such extradited offences. Nothing short of a death penalty would aptly fit the demonic crime committed by him in order to meet the ends of justice. It is prayed, albeit with a heavy heart and a reluctant disposition, that bound by the shackles of the Extradition Act, that this court be pleased to award the punishment of life imprisonment (for the rest of his natural life) to him."

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Salvi also sought a life sentence for Siddique. Salvi had last week sought capital punishment for other accused Taher Merchant, Feroze Rashid Khan, Karimullah Khan and deceased convict Mustafa Dossa.