"Pay For Police Escort Or Don't Go": Bombay High Court To Abu Salem In Plea For Emergency Parole To Mourn Brother's Demise

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday told underworld gangster Abu Salem that if he wanted to avail emergency parole leaves to visit his native place in Uttar Pradesh's Azamgarh area in view of his brother's death, he will have to pay for the police escort party, which would accompany him. For context, Salem's brother Abu Hakim Ansari died on November 14, 2025 and to console his death, the prime accused of the 1993 Mumbai Bomb Blasts Case moved the High Court seeking emergency parole of 14-days. Salem has contended that since he has been languishing in the jail for nearly two decades now, he can be sent on parole without escort party. A division bench of Justice Ajay Gadkari and Justice Shyam Chandak clearly told Salem's counsel Farhana Shah that if her client wanted to avail the parole relief, he can be allowed only if he agrees to pay for the escort party. "If you want to go (to your native place) then go with escorts party. And you will have to pay for it. If you can't pay, then don't go," Justice Gadkari orally told Shah, who contended that her client was "not in a position" to pay the charges. Shah told the judges that her client is in jail for more than two decades now and his financial condition also was not permitting him to make the payments for the escort party. However, when the bench clearly said that it can't let Salem out without escort party, Shah sought adjournment till Monday to seek instructions on this very point. During the hearing, special public prosecutor Amit Munde for the CBI told the judges that the Central agency, which was added as a respondent in an earlier hearing, too supported the decision of the Maharashtra Government to release Salem only on 2 days parole leave. Munde relied on the communication by the Police Inspector of Saraymir Police Station in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, which highlighted the fact that Saraymir is a "communally sensitive" area. The officer therefore, apprehended that releasing Salem could potentially disturb the peace and tranquillity of the region. Munde, therefore, submitted that the CBI has no opposition to releasing Salem for two days with escort party. He opposed the demand of 14 days parole leave, without police escort, as made by Salem. Taking note of Munde's contention, specifically with regards to the "probable law and order situation," Justice Gadkari remarked, "If he is sent out for 2 days such a situation will not arise but for 14 days such a situation will arise? What submission is this?"When Shah made an attempt to submit that several other prisoners are being let out on 14-days parole, Justice Gadkari pointed out, "They all are on different premises... Daily we see several petitions for parole but the local police doesn't submit such apprehensions as made in your case."The judges, therefore told Shah that her client Salem can go only with escorts and by High Court order, they can make the 2 days (as granted by State) to 4 days. "We will make it 4 days instead of 2 days," Justice Gadkari said. To this, Shah submitted that travelling to Azamgarh itself takes 25 hours to 26 hours. "We will invoke the provisions of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and exclude the travel period of 2 days. So you can go for 4 days but with escort party," the judges said. When Munde tried to oppose the suggestion, Justice Gadkari said, "Mr counsel, he has lost his real brother. Consider that."With this, the matter got adjourned till Monday for Shah to make a statement as to whether Salem would be paying for the escort party or not.

"Pay For Police Escort Or Don't Go": Bombay High Court To Abu Salem In Plea For Emergency Parole To Mourn Brother's Demise

Narsi Benwal

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