Abu Salem in prison: Jail seeks clarity over Rs 16.51 lakh pending fine

3 min readMumbaiJul 11, 2026 07:47 PM IST

Abu Salem is currently lodged in Nashik Central Jail. (Express Archive)

With gangster Abu Salem, facing a prison term of 25 years as per the extradition treaty with Portugal, a query raised before the Mumbai court this week is whether he is to pay a fine amount Rs 16.51 lakh part of his punishment, and that if he does not pay, will he be made to spend an additional 18 years as per rules.

Salem is currently lodged in Nashik Central Jail. He is serving two life sentences in two separate cases including the 1993 blasts case and for the murder of builder Pradeep Jain, awarded by a special court in 2017 and 2015, respectively. Convicted under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, Salem was also directed to pay a fine amount of Rs 8 lakh in one case, and Rs 8.51 lakh in another, with a default sentence of 8 years and 10 years, six months if the fine is not paid.

The special court in Mumbai has received an application from the jail authorities as well as Salem on this issue, this week. The Nashik jail authorities have said that ambiguity has risen over the sentence Salem will have to undergo in case he does not pay his pending fine amount, given the 25-year assurance. Salem in a separate letter to court also says that he has not received proper information from the jail on the issue of the payment of his fine amount.

Salem was extradited to India from Portugal on November 11, 2005. India had assured Portugal during his extradition that he would not be given the death penalty or jail term exceeding 25 years if he was found guilty in cases he was brought to India for. The Supreme Court had clarified when Salem approached it in 2018, that in keeping with the assurance, he will complete the 25 years of jail in 2030, calculating his term from 2005. The court said that in 2030, the issue will be considered again. No mention, however, was made about the fine amount and the default sentence if Salem does not pay.

The jail authorities said Salem has been filing applications under the Right to Information Act, inquiring whether the sentence has been waived. “It is requested to issue clarity on whether the fine amount of the prisoner is to be recovered or if the sentence in default of fine needs to be served, so that the calculation of his sentence period can be properly updated,” the application states.

“In the final order passed by the Honourable Supreme Court dated July 11, 2022, there is no mention or any direction about fine amount or any direction about fine amount has to be paid and the Apex court has concluded that the sentence period should be simply 25 years,” Salem has claimed in his plea, seeking directions to the jail authority.

Salem had also from time to time filed pleas before courts seeking early release citing remission rules but was told by the SC in 2022 that his release will be considered in 2030.

Sadaf Modak is a distinguished Legal Correspondent based in Mumbai whose work demonstrates exceptional Expertise and Authority in covering the intricacies of the judicial and correctional systems. Reporting for The Indian Express, she is a highly Trustworthy source for in-depth coverage of courtroom proceedings and human rights issues.

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