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The Supreme Court refused to hear Abu Salem’s plea seeking immediate release in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case, directing him to approach the Bombay High Court. Salem claims he completed 25 years, while prison authorities say he has served only 19 years.
Supreme Court of India (Image Source: Internet)
New Delhi: Notorious gangster Abu Salem, convicted in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, received no major relief from the Supreme Court. The top court refused to hear his petition in which he claimed that he had completed his 25-year sentence and had been illegally detained for the past 10 months.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta clearly stated that Salem should first present his case fully before the Bombay High Court. The Supreme Court also clarified that the High Court had only refused interim relief for now; a final decision is pending.
Abu Salem had challenged the Bombay High Court's July 2025 order, which stated that prima facie his 25-year sentence had not yet been completed. Citing Maharashtra prison rules, Salem's lawyer argued that Salem had already served his full sentence, taking into account remissions granted for good behavior.
Supreme Court rejects gangster Abu Salem’s plea seeking release in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case. In an exclusive conversation with Dynamite News, Advocate Sunil Kumar Jha shares his views on the verdict.#SupremeCourt #AbuSalem #MumbaiBlasts #IndianJudiciary #BreakingNews pic.twitter.com/UZfaqlQjS3
— Dynamite News (@DynamiteNews_) February 16, 2026
The lawyer also alleged that an error had been made in calculating the sentence in the affidavit filed by the prison administration. However, according to prison records, Salem has only served 19 years of his sentence.
During the hearing, Justice Vikram Nath made a strong comment, noting that Salem had been convicted of serious crimes and was convicted under stringent provisions such as the Prevention of Terrorism Act (TADA). The court allowed him to withdraw his petition so he could apply for a regular hearing in the High Court.
The Supreme Court indicated that the final decision in this matter should be taken by the Bombay High Court.
Abu Salem was extradited from Portugal to India on November 11, 2005, after a lengthy legal process. According to the agreement between India and Portugal, he cannot be given the death penalty or a sentence exceeding 25 years.
In 2022, the Supreme Court ruled that the central government was bound to honor its promise to Portugal and release Salem as soon as his 25-year sentence was completed.
Salem maintains that his detention should be counted from 2005, while the prison administration claims that his total sentence of 25 years has not yet been completed. Furthermore, he is currently serving a life sentence for the 1995 murder of builder Pradeep Jain.
The future of this highly controversial case will now depend on the Bombay High Court's decision. The next hearing in the High Court will decide whether Abu Salem's release is possible or not.
