A probable life sentence in 1993 blast case hasn't stopped Abu Salem from planning marriage again

Even though life sentence is staring him in the face, the 1993 Mumbai bomb blast convict Abu Salem has marriage on his mind.

Salem, who has also been convicted in the March 1995 builder Pradeep Jain murder case, is currently in the custody of special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (TADA) court where his paramour had earlier filed an application to be allowed to marry him.

Advocate Farhana Shah, representing the girl, cited today two judgements of the Bombay and Delhi high courts stating his rights as a convict to get married.

Salem's love interest is a woman in her late 20s from Mumbra in Thane district neighbouring Mumbai. Salem and she allegedly were sighted together in a train to north India in 2014 when the terrorist was travelling in police custody for an ongoing trial there.

When India Today spoke to the girl's grandfather, he said the girl had lost her face and reputation after a local newspaper published pictures of the two travelling in train. Hence, the girl had no other option but to get married to him, he said.

Some people claim that Salem and the girl were already married. Previously Salem was married to Samira Jumani who he had allegedly abducted and with whom later he had two kids. Salem was caught in Portugal with actor Monica Bedi and they were deported back to India together in 2005.

In the TADA court, Salem said that he wanted to get married to the girl to save her honour but the court has yet not decided on the plea. The court is right now hearing the arguments of the defence for mitigating Salem's sentence to a minimum period.

The court has already found Salem guilty of conspiracy and helping in distribution of arms and ammunition for the 1993 blast case.

Special public prosecutor Deepak Salvi said that CBI wanted death punishment for Salem. However, as there was the extradition treaty with Portugal which mandates that Salem cannot be given death sentence, the agency was only demanding life sentence for Salem.

Advocate Farhana Shah earlier had filed the application for marriage and today she said that according to rules there were provisions of an accused getting temporary bail or a convict of getting parole for marriage.

Judge GA Sanap of TADA court is yet to pass an order on the matter.

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