Supreme Court dismisses gangster Abu Salem’s plea claiming completion of 25-year prison term
The Supreme Court of India has dismissed a plea by gangster Abu Salem, who sought release from prison after claiming he had completed a 25-year sentence. The court rejected the appeal, maintaining that the 25-year term is still ongoing based on the date of his extradition from Portugal.
Why it matters
This case highlights the legal complexities surrounding international extradition treaties and the enforcement of sovereign assurances in criminal justice.
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.
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. Salem had approached the top court after the Bombay High Court in April dismissed his petition seeking release from prison.
A former member of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s syndicate, Mr. Salem was extradited from Portugal to India in 2005 after the Indian government gave a sovereign assurance that he would not be imprisoned for more than 25 years.
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