Abu Salem Granted Only 2-Day Parole for Brother's Death: Maharashtra Govt to HC
Maharashtra limits Abu Salem to 2-day parole.
The Maharashtra government informed the Bombay High Court on Tuesday that gangster Abu Salem, convicted in the 1993 serial bomb blasts case, being an “international criminal,” can be granted only two-day emergency parole with a police escort. Salem had sought 14 days to attend the last rites of his elder brother, Abu Hakim Ansari, in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh.
Public prosecutor Mankhuwar Deshmukh told the court that a 14-day parole was not feasible for Salem, and that the police escort for the two-day parole would be at Salem’s cost. The government emphasized the risks associated with allowing an international criminal extended movement outside prison.
Salem’s lawyer, Farhana Shah, argued that two days would be insufficient for travel to Azamgarh, and requested that police escort be waived, stating that Salem had been in prison for over 20 years and was an Indian citizen. She also noted that Salem had previously been granted only brief parole leaves, such as after the death of his mother and stepmother.
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A bench comprising Justices Ajay Gadkari and Shyam Chandak directed the state to file an affidavit detailing its objections to granting the 14-day parole. The matter was posted for further hearing next week, giving both parties time to submit additional arguments and evidence.
Salem’s plea, filed in December 2025, claimed that his application for parole to attend his brother’s funeral, submitted on November 15, was delayed due to the court’s Christmas vacation. The jail authorities had rejected the initial request on November 20, 2025.
If the court upholds the government’s stance, Salem will be allowed only a short, two-day parole, likely with stringent security arrangements. The case highlights the tension between humanitarian considerations for inmates and security concerns associated with high-profile criminals.
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