Abu Salem international criminal, can be given only two-day parole: Maharashtra govt to HC

Gangster Abu Salem, convicted in the 1993 serial bomb blasts case, is an "international criminal" and hence can be granted only two-day emergency parole with police escort, the Maharashtra government told the Bombay High Court on Tuesday (January 13, 2026).

Salem had sought 14 days' parole, citing his elder brother's death. Public prosecutor Mankhuwar Deshmukh said a 14-day parole was not possible as Salem is an "international criminal".

"The prison authority has said he can be given two days' parole along with police escort, the cost of which he will have to bear," Mr. Deshmukh told the court.

Salem's lawyer, Farhana Shah, said, “Two days will not be enough as he has to travel to Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh.” "There is also no need for any police escort. He has been in jail for over two decades and is seeking emergency parole," Mr. Shah said, adding that Salem is an Indian citizen.

A Bench of Justices Ajay Gadkari and Shyam Chandak directed the government to file an affidavit stating its apprehension to grant Salem 14 days' parole, and posted the matter for further hearing next week.

Salem, in his plea filed in December 2025, sought parole as his elder brother, Abu Hakim Ansari, passed away in November last year. He had said his plea got delayed due to the court's Christmas vacation.

According to Salem's plea, he had applied for an emergency 14-day parole from the jail authorities to attend the last rites and related rituals of his late brother on November 15 itself.

However, the jail authorities rejected his plea by an order dated November 20, 2025. Salem further pointed out that since his arrest in November 2005, he has been in jail and was only granted parole leaves of a few days after the death of his mother and also after the demise of his stepmother.