Abu Salem's lawyer ends services over non-payment

Advocate Prashant Pandey to soon file a plaint with the appropriate authority as Salem refuses to talk about fees

Mumbai 1993 serial blasts convict Abu Salem's lawyer Prashant Pandey, who has been representing the gangster in a number of cases since the past three years, has said that he would discontinue his services over non-payment of dues. Pandey further said that he would soon file a complaint with the appropriate authority.

Pandey had written to Salem on September 7 stating, "Despite several reminders you failed to pay the legal fees and administrative charges for the work I have done on your behalf till today. I hereby declare that I'll not act as your legal attorney and won't represent you or be associated with any of your legal matters in future due to non-payment of fees."

Advocate Pandey had represented Salem in two important matters – in July 2018 when he sent a notice to the makers of the film Sanju claiming that "malicious" and "defamatory" remarks were made against him in the film, and again when he complained to officials in Portugal for alleged violation of human rights and his extradition orders. Pandey has also asked Salem to collect all papers related to the cases from his office.

Salem was convicted in 2017 for conspiracy in the March 12, 1993, serial blasts in Mumbai that killed 257 people and injured 713 others.

In May the same year a special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (prevention) Act court served him life sentence. The court also convicted him in 2015 for murdering a Mumbai builder in 1995. He was extradited from Portugal in 2005.

Speaking to mid-day, Pandey said, "There is no response from him whenever I talk about fees. I will approach the appropriate authority soon. The name of the person I'm representing doesn't matter, but the main thing is the fee, which is missing. Hence, it is not appropriate to be associated with the person."

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