Court reserves order on MCOCA charges against Salem

A city court Friday reserved its order on a Delhi Police plea to drop charges under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crimes Act (MCOCA) against underworld gangster Abu Salem on the ground that these violated the terms of extradition agreed with Portuguese authorities.

Salem is facing trial for making an extortion call to Delhi businessman Ashok Gupta in 2002, demanding Rs. 50 million.

Additional Sessions Judge Pinky will now pronounce the order July 22.

Delhi Police had filed an application seeking to drop charges against Salem under MCOCA on the grounds that it was against the extradition agreement under which Salem was brought from Portugal in 2005.

The Central Bureau of Investigation defended its stand as why it opted for underworld mobster Abu Salem’s extradition instead of deportation.

"The centre had tried to get Abu Salem, who was found carrying fake travel documents there, deported but the Portuguese authorities declined, making it clear that he could only and only be extradited," A.K. Vali, appearing for the CBI, submitted.

Responding to Delhi Police's argument that the CBI's extradition of Salem forced them to approach the court to drop the MCOCA charges against him, Vali sought to justify the extradition, saying Salem, who was holding a Pakistani passport, could have been deported to any country, other than India, after his arrest.

"The intention was to ensure that he should not escape our law," he said.

The then National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government had given an assurance to Portugal that after Salem's extradition, he would be tried only in nine cases and not awarded imprisonment exceeding 25 years.

Last updated on Jul 10^th, 2009 at 21:06 pm IST--IANS