TADA court rejects Salem's plea on alteration of charges

Mumbai, Jun 16 (UNI) Designated TADA court today rejected the plea moved by extradited gangster Abu Salem, seeking direction to alter the charges framed against him in the 1993 serial bomb blasts case, as the charges were violative of the extradition treaty signed between India and Portugal in 2004.

Salem, in his application, contended that as per the extradition treaty, he could not be tried for the charges of conspiracy. But in this case, the major charge against him is that of participation in the conspiracy of the serial bomb blasts that rocked the metropolis on March 12, 1993.

While rejecting the plea, TADA Judge D U Mulla, in his detailed order, to be made available later, said at this stage, such an application cannot be considerd and the same can be made after recording of evidence gets over.

Besides, Salem also raised several points before the court claiming that the same are also violative of the treaty.

In a related development, Salem's associate Riyaz Siddiqui's bail plea was today argued by Advocate Farzana Shah, who told the court that his client had been languishing in jail for a prolonged period and was also suffering from various ailments which require treatment not available in the jail hospital.

Prosecution will argue the matter tomorrow before the court.

UNI AAA SSS SP ND1830