Salem's lawyer embarks on loophole-hunt

Mumbai: Abu Salem's lawyer left for Portugal early Wednesday morning to look for legal loopholes in Salem's extradition.

The don's lawyers claim that the Indian agencies have violated the extradition clauses and say that the visit was to primarily check the extradition documents that have not yet been presented before the court.

Advocate Nitin Pradhan, Salem's counsel alleges that the gangster was sent to India for a trial and not for investigations.

Pradhan also says that the visit is to substantiate these allegations and plan strategies for the future course of action.

"I am going to get the extradiction reports which have to presented before the court. The CBI says the reports are with the External Affairs minister and that it will take time so I am going to Portugal,"

In January, Salem had reportedly confessed to the murder of builder Pradeep Jain. He said he murdered Jain on Dawood's brother - Anees Ibrahim's - instructions.

On October 20, 2005 the CBI headquarters in Delhi received a communication from Portugal that they were ready to extradite Abu Salem if the Indian government promised that the don would not be given the death penalty.

The CBI started mounting pressure on Portugal to also hand over Abu Salem's girlfriend Monica Bedi. After five days of deliberation, Portugal decided to extradite both Salem and Bedi.

A three member CBI team was sent to Lisbon on October 29. A chartered aircraft carried Salem and Bedi to Mumbai in one of the smoothest operations launched by the CBI.