Abu Salem gets bail, but to remain in jail
Abu Salem, a former aide of mobster Dawood Ibrahim, on Wednesday got bail from a court here in an extortion case, but will not walk free as he is in a Maharashtra jail facing charges in other criminal cases.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Rakesh Pandit said: "He is granted bail. The accused should not intimidate witnesses, shall not leave the country and shall not cause delay in the case."
The court directed Salem to furnish personal and surety bonds each of Rs.1 lakh.
Pleading for Salem's bail, counsel M.S. Khan said: "As the accused was in custody during the enquiry and trial for the period of more than three years and he is charged for offence under section 384 IPC (Indian Penal Code) with maximum punishment for three years. He should be released on bail."
The prosecution opposed the submissions saying that he should be charged with section 387 IPC (causing fear for extortion), which attracts maximum punishment of seven years.
Salem was extradited from Portugal in 2005 to face trial in various cases including in the 1993 Mumbai blast case. He was made an accused along with Ramesh Sharma, a front man of Dawood, for hatching the conspiracy to commit extortion in the capital.
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