The Hindu : Portuguese prosecutor to look into Salem extradition plea

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 13, 2003

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Portuguese prosecutor to look into Salem extradition plea

New Delhi Jan. 12. The Portuguese Government has handed over India's extradition request for the underworld don and main accused in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts case, Abu Salem, to its chief prosecutor for examination.

The move came after the Lisbon authorities cancelled the resident work permit of Salem, which he had procured after marrying a Portuguese woman on forged documents.

CBI sources said the extradition request of Salem, whose judicial remand had been extended by another three months, was given to the Portuguese Chief Prosecutor (at par with the Attorney General in India), for giving his opinion after which only extradition proceedings could commence.

The Lisbon authorities were probing how Salem and little-known Bollywoood actress and his girlfriend, Monica Bedi, had managed to procure forged documents which led to their marriages. The two had managed a resident work permit after marrying a local girl and a man there.

The CBI' s extradition request listed Salem's involvement in three CBI cases, four cases with the Delhi Police and two cases registered against him by the Mumbai police.

The extradition request, which gave an executive assurance to Portuguese authorities of not awarding Salem capital punishment in case of his conviction by Indian courts, highlighted his role in the conspiracy leading to the Mumbai bomb blasts.

Salem, Monica Bedi and Syed Haider were arrested in Lisbon by the Portuguese police on September 18 for staying in the country on forged documents.

The underworld don is facing charges under Section 120B and 302 of the IPC and Sections 3, 5 and 6 of TADA, under which he could be awarded life imprisonment and death sentence.

The assurance against capital punishment was given as the Portuguese judiciary would not give its nod for extradition unless it is accompanied by a sovereign assurance which is a mandatory requirement that the accused would not be given death penalty or imprisonment beyond 25 years in the event of their conviction.

PTI

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