Newsroom24x7 Network

Lucknow/Bhopal: The Special Magistrate, CBI Cases, Lucknow has sentenced two accused, namely Abu Salem and Mohd. Pervez Alam to undergo three years Simple Imprisonment in a case related to fraudulently obtaining Passport.

Salem has been tried and convicted in some cases and was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2015. He was tried for murder of one Pradeep Jain and role in the Bombay Bomb blasts.

CBI had registered a case on 16 October 1997 against  Abu Salem Abdul Qayoom Ansari and others. It was alleged that after Bombay bomb blast in 1993,  Abu Salem was absconding and he fraudulently obtained a passport from Passport office, Lucknow, in assumed name of Akil Ahmed Azmi, with a view to flee the country. His wife Samira Jumani also fraudulently obtained a passport in assumed name of Sabina Azmi. The passport was obtained through a passport agent, Mohd. Parvez Alam.  Abu Salem and his wife Samira Jumani were absconding.

After investigation, a charge sheet was filed, on 1 July 1999, in the Court of Special Judicial Magistrate,

Abu Salem Abdul Qayoom Ansari was also an absconding accused in another case related to Bombay Bomb Blast. He was declared as Proclaimed Offender by the Trial Court.  A Non Bailable Warrant of arrest was also issued against him. The IPSG (Interpol) had also issued a Red Corner Notice Control against Abu Salem.

On 18 September 2002, Abu Salem was detained in LISBON (Portugal). After long drawn proceedings in the Court of Appeal, Lisbon and Constitutional Court of Portugal, the extradition of Abu Salem was granted and his custody was handed over to Indian authorities on 10 November 2005. Abu Salem was brought to India and produced before the Designated Court, Mumbai on 11 November 2005 and thereafter in the Court of Special Magistrate, CBI, Lucknow.

The Trial Court at Lucknow found both the accused guilty and convicted them.

Earlier, on 19 November 2010, the Bhopal Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court had sentenced underworld don Abu Salem 4 years in jail—2 years under section 471 IPC and another two years and Rs. 5000 as fine under section 12 (1) (B) of the Passport Act in the fake passport case. The court had announced him guilty under these sections but acquitted him under section 468 PIC on 16 November 2010.

Salem had undergone trial in this case for 3 years and 6 days. Hence, he was required to serve 11 months and 24 days in jail.

Another case was registered against Salem and his companions for allegedly acquiring passports from the Bhopal on the basis of fake documents. Former actress Monica Bedi had been acquitted earlier in this case. Both Salem and Bedi were extradited from Portugal in 2005. 

Section 471 relates to anyone who fraudulently or dishonestly uses as genuine any document or electronic record which he knows or has reason to believe is forged and the punishment for this is the same as that for forging the document. Salem was also tried but acquitted under Section 468 IPC, which concerns forgery. Under this section, whoever commits forgery, intending that the document forged shall be used for the purpose of cheating, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.