Gangster Abu Salem will remain in prison after the Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed his plea seeking early release on the ground that he had completed 25 years in custody. The case relates to his conviction in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta upheld the Bombay High Court’s April 2026 decision rejecting his request. Salem had argued that India’s assurance to Portugal capped his imprisonment at 25 years. The Supreme Court, however, declined to grant him immediate release.What Is the Abu Salem Case?Abu Salem is a gangster who was associated with the D-Company crime syndicate linked to Dawood Ibrahim. He was arrested in Portugal in 2002 and was extradited to India in November 2005 after India gave Portugal assurances concerning the maximum punishment he could face. Abu Salem case mainly refers to his conviction in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, one of India’s major terror cases. On March 12, 1993, a series of coordinated bomb blasts struck Mumbai, killing more than 250 people and injuring over 1,000. Salem was accused of being involved in the conspiracy and transporting weapons and explosives connected with the attacks.Why Did Court Reject Salem’s Plea?The Supreme Court refused to accept Salem’s claim that he had already completed the 25-year period required for his release. His argument was linked to the conditions under which he was extradited from Portugal in 2005, when India assured Portugal that he would not face the death penalty or imprisonment beyond 25 years. However, courts have previously held that the relevant period had not been completed in the manner claimed by Salem.Salem was extradited from Portugal to India in November 2005.He is serving life imprisonment in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case.He also received a life sentence in the Pradeep Jain murder case.His early-release request was rejected by the Bombay High Court in April 2026.The Supreme Court has now upheld that decision.Salem’s 25-Year Prison ClaimThe dispute over Abu Salem’s prison term has continued for several years. Salem argued that his custody period, including time spent as an undertrial and remission earned for good conduct, should be counted while determining whether he had completed the 25-year limit. He had earlier claimed that this calculation made him eligible for release in 2025.The Maharashtra authorities and the CBI disputed this interpretation. In 2025, the Bombay High Court observed that Salem’s 25-year period would run from his custody in India and that the claimed completion date did not establish an immediate right to release. The court subsequently rejected his early-release plea in April 2026.Supreme Court Upholds Earlier DecisionThe latest Supreme Court ruling keeps Salem behind bars despite his argument that his continued detention violates the assurance given to Portugal. The bench upheld the Bombay High Court’s decision and rejected his request for premature release. A detailed order explaining the Court’s reasoning is yet to be released.The extradition assurance remains central to the case. In 2022, the Supreme Court had recognised that the Indian government was required to honour its assurance to Portugal and deal with the 25-year limit appropriately. But that did not mean Salem automatically became entitled to immediate release whenever he claimed the period had ended.Key HighlightsSupreme Court dismissed Abu Salem’s plea for early release.Salem is serving a life sentence linked to the 1993 Mumbai blasts.India had assured Portugal that his imprisonment would not exceed 25 years.Bombay High Court rejected his early-release plea in April 2026.Salem had argued that custody and remission calculations completed the 25-year period.The Supreme Court’s detailed order is still awaited.Abu Salem To Remain In JailThe Supreme Court’s latest decision means Abu Salem will continue to remain in custody despite his claim that he had completed the 25-year prison term. The ruling follows years of legal proceedings over the interpretation of India’s extradition assurance to Portugal. The detailed order is expected to provide further clarity on the calculation of Salem’s sentence and his release claim.Disclaimer: This article is intended only for knowledge and news-information purposes.
