The Supreme Court on Thursday (September 10, 2026) dismissed a plea by gangster Abu Salem , convicted in the 1993 serial bomb blasts case, seeking release from prison on the ground that he had completed the 25-year jail term he was required to serve.
Mr. Salem had approached the top court after the Bombay High Court in April dismissed his petition seeking release from prison. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in February 2015 by a special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) court for the 1995 murder of Mumbai businessman Pradeep Jain and his driver Mehndi. In June 2017, he was awarded another life term for his role in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts. In July 2022, the Supreme Court held that India was bound by the sovereign assurance given to Portugal and that Mr. Salem could not be detained beyond 25 years.
Pronouncing the operative portion of the ruling in open court, a Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said, “The present appeal stands dismissed in limine.
Mr. Senior advocate Rishi Malhotra, appearing for Mr. Salem, had argued that the period of incarceration should include the time he spent as an undertrial and that remission earned in prison should also be taken into account while determining the duration of his sentence.
The dispute before the court centred on when this 25-year period began. The Centre has maintained that it commenced on November 11, 2005, when Mr. Salem, on the other hand, has argued that the 25-year period should run from September 18, 2002, when he was taken into custody in Portugal following a Red Corner Notice issued by Interpol at India’s instance.
Salem was extradited from Portugal to face trial in multiple cases, and would therefore expire in November 2030.
