Underworld don Abu Salem should thank senior BJP leader L.K. Advani. It is Advani’s December 17, 2002 letter to the Portuguese Foreign Minister in his capacity as Deputy Prime Minister that has resulted in charges against Salem under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) being dropped by a Mumbai court. In his letter, Advani had assured Portuguese Minister for Foreign Affairs Antonio Martins Da Cruz that “if extradited by Portugal for trial in India, Abu Salem Abdul Qayoom Ansari and Monica Bedi would not be visited by death penalty or imprisonment for a term beyond 25 years.” Portugal's extradition order is based on this assurance. According to Section 3 (1) of MCOCA, whoever commits an offence of organised crime shall be punished with death or imprisonment for life if such offence has resulted in the death...
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