Salem convicted in passport case

Hyderabad: The Central Bureau of Investigation court at Gaganvihar on Monday convicted mafia don Abu Salem, alias Abdul Qayoom Ansari, in a fake passport case.

The third additional special judge M.V. Ramana Naidu has posted the case to November 28 for confirmation of quantum of sentence. Abu Salem, currently lodged in Taloja Central Prison in Navi Mumbai, is likely to be produced in the city court on November 28. The prosecution has sought the maximum punishment of seven-year imprisonment.

Apart from 1993 Mumbai blasts case, Abu Salem is an accused in several other serious offences across the country. His wife, Sameera Jumani, who is wanted by the CBI, is still absconding.

CBI’s senior public prosecutor T. Venkata Ramana said, “Salem was convicted under five charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, impersonation, forgery and using forged documents.”

“Abu Salem used falsified information and documents and submitted fake declaration. The prosecution examined 39 witnesses and marked 60 documents in the case to prove the five charges, he added.”

The offence took place in Kurnool in 2001 and passports were issued by the Secunderabad regional passport office. The case was registered in 2006 and the trial began in 2008.

Faizan Ahmed, the owner of Faizan Enterprises, Mumbai, aided Abu Salem, Monica and Sameera with the documents showing them as residents of Kurnool. Salem then travelled to Lisbon, Portugal, with the fake passport.

On CBI’s request, a Red Corner Notice was issued by the Interpol against Salem in 1997.