20 January,2026 05:30 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
The court said it would hear Abu Salem`s parole matter on January 28. File Pic
The Maharashtra government has opposed the parole of gangster Abu Salem and told the Bombay High Court that he would flee if granted it, reported the PTI.
The state stated that granting parole to Abu Salem could lead to him absconding, which may cause serious diplomatic issues between India and Portugal, the country from which he was extradited.
In an affidavit filed before the court on Tuesday, the state opposed Salem's plea seeking 14 days of parole following the death of his elder brother. The government said that, at most, Salem could be granted two days of emergency parole, according to the PTI.
When the petition came up for hearing before a bench of Justices A S Gadkari and Shyam Chandak, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said it was the prosecuting agency in the case and therefore should be impleaded as a respondent.
The CBI further argued that granting parole or bail to Salem could lead to serious law and order problems, the news agency reported.
The court said it would hear the matter on January 28.
According to the affidavit filed by Inspector General of Prisons Suhas Warke, Salem is an international gangster who has been involved in criminal activities for several decades.
The affidavit stated that Salem was extradited from Portugal under an extradition treaty, subject to specific conditions agreed upon by both countries.
"If the petitioner is granted parole, he will abscond again, as he fled the country in 1993," the affidavit said, as per the PTI.
The affidavit added that the Government of India is bound by the assurances given to the Portuguese government at the time of Salem's extradition.
"If the petitioner absconds now, it will create serious issues between India and Portugal and pose a threat to society," it said, the PTI reported.
Salem was arrested in Lisbon, Portugal, after being convicted of travelling on a fake passport, and was extradited to India in November 2005.
After Salem applied for parole, jail authorities sought a report from the Uttar Pradesh Police, as he intended to travel to Saraymir in Azamgarh district.
The UP Police submitted an adverse report, stating that the area is communally sensitive. Based on this, Salem's request for 14 days' parole was rejected.
The affidavit noted that Salem could be granted two days of parole, with travel time counted as part of his sentence.
Salem fled India in 1993 to evade arrest. He has been sentenced to life imprisonment in three cases, including the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, and to 25 years' imprisonment in several other cases, according to the PTI.
In his petition filed last month, Salem sought parole following the death of his elder brother, Abu Hakim Ansari, in November 2025. He said the plea was delayed due to the court's Christmas vacation.
Salem stated that he had applied for a 14-day emergency parole on November 15, 2025, to attend his brother's last rites and related rituals. However, the jail authorities rejected the request on November 20, 2025, the news agency reported.
He further pointed out that since his arrest in November 2005, he has largely remained in jail and was granted only short parole periods following the deaths of his mother and stepmother.
(with PTI inputs)
