Deputy chief minister and home minister RR Patil on Wednesday allayed apprehensions over underworld don Abu Salem’s case expressed by the Shiv Sena-BJP opposition.
Dy CM assures stringent action against the don, but in keeping with extradition treaty
Deputy chief minister and home minister RR Patil on Wednesday allayed apprehensions over underworld don Abu Salem’s case expressed by the Shiv Sena-BJP opposition in the legislative assembly.
Patil said that though the government had to withdraw sections of MCOCA against Salem as per the conditions of extradition treaty with Portugal, strong evidence against him existed whereby the government could award the strictest punishment of 25 years imprisonment.
Patil said the union home ministry had on October 10, 2007 informed the Mumbai police of the charges against Salem that had violated the conditions of the extradition treaty. He added that the centre had informed the city police that action against Salem will have to be taken in accordance with the provisions of the treaty.
Patil said according to the CBI letter of February 22, the government would have to withdraw the charges within the stipulated time or else Salem’s extradition to India could be cancelled and diplomatic ties between India and Portugal could get soured.
Patil added that the state government had moved the Supreme Court in the matter and that it had strong evidence against Salem in the builder Pradeep Jain’s murder case.
Earlier in the day, Devendra Fadnavis of BJP sought to move an adjournment motion on the issue, arguing that the government was trying to let the don off lightly. BJP legislature party leader Eknath Khadse wanted to know whether the police was aware of the implications of the provisions of the extradition treaty.
Assembly speaker, Babasaheb Kupekar directed the government to make a statement on the issue. Not satisfied with the ruling, the Sena-BJP members staged a noisy walkout from the house.
h_prashant@dnaindia.net 
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