The Supreme Court of India officially dismissed a plea submitted by convicted gangster Abu Salem, who sought release on the grounds that he had served a 25-year prison term. Salem, a key figure in various criminal cases including the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, contended that his time served met the threshold for release. However, the court did not find merit in his argument, effectively rejecting his request to be set free based on the duration of his confinement.

This legal development follows years of complex litigation surrounding Salem’s extradition from Portugal and the specific terms of the agreement between the Indian and Portuguese governments. While Salem’s legal team has consistently argued that the terms of his extradition and subsequent sentencing should limit his total time in custody, the judiciary has maintained that his sentences must be served in accordance with the specific convictions handed down by Indian courts. The dismissal of this plea confirms that the court does not recognize his claim of having fulfilled the necessary requirements for release at this time. The proceedings remain a point of interest due to the high-profile nature of his criminal history and the international legal protocols involved in his transfer to India.