Abu Salem moves court against Delhi police

MUMBAI: Abu Salem, held guilty in the March 12, 1993 Mumbai blasts case, moved the special

TADA

court on Wednesday saying that the Delhi police had slapped a “false and frivolous case’’ on him and sought to detain him in “gross violation of the 2003 extradition order”.

Special judge Sanap issued a notice to the Delhi police and posted the matter for further hearing on July 12.

His lawyers Sudeep Pasbola and Farhana Shah, submitting the three page application, sought orders from special judge GA Sanap to the Delhi police chief. Salem was extradited from Portugal to face specific cases one of which was the 1993 blasts.

But his concern was that once the sentence is passed by the TADA court in Mumbai, the Delhi police may try and seek his detention in an alleged case of extortion registered in 1998 even though it was not in the list of cases in the extradition treaty.

Salem’s lawyer said that the court may call for the Delhi police chief’s reply to know why “every now and then a warrant is issued in the 1998 case in spite of a clarification that it was not a case he was extradited for.’’

Salem pointed out to an order passed by the court in February this year which had dropped all charges against him which weren’t included in the extradition order, but the police personnel had come in from Delhi in July, asking to take him into custody. Salem’s application calls the FIR “illegal” and if arrested, on the warrant produced in this FIR, “it will be illegal detention and nothing else”.

Salem claims in his application that this “frivolous case are being slapped against him only toharass and to detain him further thus causing grave prejudice to his defence.’’

His plea sought necessary directions for and explanations by the Delhi Commissioner of Police.