New Delhi:
The government of Portugal has told India that they are not interested in the return of gangster Abu Salem to Portugal. The Portuguese authorities conveyed this information to the Indian team which included the CBI. This came after the team had a meeting with the Justice Ministry, the Attorney General's office and the foreign office.
However, they want fresh assurances from the Indian government that Salem will not get death penalty or punishment beyond 25 years. This was asserted by BJP leader LK Advani in 2002 when he was the Deputy Prime Minister during the NDA regime and India government wanted to extradite Abu Salem to India.
In reply, India showcased Monica Bedi judicial process to stress they are not vindictive and want to keep their assurance.
The Delhi and Mumbai Police had slapped charges against Abu Salem which invoke death penalty against him, leaving the government and the CBI red-faced. Later police wanted to withdraw the charges but the courts did not approve of it that led to long-standing legal battle which ended in Supreme Court. The top court, in September 2010, rejected the underworld don's plea.
In March this year, the Constitutional Court of Portugal had stayed the order of its Supreme Court on violation of Salem's extradition agreement by India. India had then given an executive assurance to Portugal that it would not slap any charges which invoke death penalty to Salem and would not keep him behind bars for more than 25 years.
Salem was extradited from Portugal in 2005 after the Indian government gave a similar executive assurance.
Salem was arrested in Lisbon in 2002 along with his girlfriend, actor Monica Bedi, for travelling with fake passports.