India moves Portugal SC on Abu Salem

New Delhi, Oct 4 (IBNS) India has moved Portuguese Supreme Court against Lisbon High Court order terminating extradition of underworld don Abu Salem, convicted in 1993 Mumbai serial blasts.

The Lisbon High Court on Sept 19 said the gangster be sent back to Portugal as India is slapping charges against him that will attract death sentence.

India has asked for a stay order on the high court order in the Supreme Court.

In its affidavit, India said fresh charges were brought against Salem that attracted less jail term than it was stated in the agreement while extraditing him, said a top official in New Delhi on conditions of anonymity on Tuesday.

Under the extradition agreement, Salem can not be given death penalty or charged with any section of law which entails jail for more than 25 years, once he is extradited.

On September 20, 2002, Salem and his girl-friend-companion Monica Bedi were arrested by Interpol in Lisbon, Portugal.

His satellite phone was tracked using GPS technology.

He has been accused in the 1993 bomb blasts as well as killing of Bollywood producer Gulshan Kumar, Indian actress Manisha Koirala´s secretary, a builder and more than 50 other cases.

In February 2004, a Portugal court cleared his extradition to India to face trial in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts case.

In November 2005, Portuguese authorities handed him over along with Monica Bedi to Indian authorities on the assurance by then India´s Home Minister L.K. Advani that death penalty would not be meted either on him or his partner Monica Bedi.

In March 2006, a special TADA court filed eight charges against him and his alleged associate Riaz Siddiqui for his role in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case. He stands accused of ferrying and distributing weapons.

Abu Salem is currently in high-security Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai.