Gangster Abu Salem moved out of Taloja prison in Navi Mumbai for transfer to Nashik jail

Thane:  Gangster Abu Salem, who has been serving life sentence in the 1993 serial blasts case, was moved out of the Taloja prison in Navi Mumbai on Thursday and is being transferred to the central jail in Nashik amid tight police security, an official said. Salem was taken out of the Taloja jail in a vehicle at 11.30 am, he said.

Extradited from Portugal in 2005, Salem was convicted and awarded life sentence in 2017 for his role in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.

He was lodged in the Taloja prison, but the jail authorities had submitted to the special court that he needs to be shifted to the Nashik Central Prison given that the high-security cell inside the Taloja prison was in shambles and needs urgent repair.

Salem had moved the Bombay High Court challenging a special court's order, which last month rejected his application against his planned transfer from Taloja prison to Nashik Central Prison, claiming a threat to his life.

Salem claimed the decision to shift him out of the Taloja facility, where he is serving life imprisonment in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, was a "conspiracy" to kill him as he is likely to be released in a few months.

Notably, when Salem's petition came up for hearing on Wednesday before a division bench of Justices A S Gadkari and Neela Gokhale, the bench recused from hearing it without assigning any reason. The petition will be placed before another division bench.

The police moved Salem out of the Taloja prison on Thursday and is being transferred to Nashik in a vehicle amid tight security arrangements, an official of Navi Mumbai police said.

"Since Salem is a high-profile inmate, every precaution has been taken to safely transport Salem from Taloja to Nashik. The police team comprises of an inspector, commandos and also the police staff of the jail department. Heavy police deployment has been put in place on the entire route, including the urban and rural parts of both Thane and Nashik districts," he said.

The vehicle in which he is being transported has a CCTV camera, sources said.

In his plea filed before the high court, Salem said the Taloja jail has been very safe for him, and expressed apprehension that he may be attacked by members of rival gangs in other prisons.

The gangster stated the transfer at this stage was "uncalled for and unwarranted, and tainted with malafide intentions".

Salem stated he is currently facing trials in two cases in Delhi and has to keep travelling to the national capital. Shifting him to another prison will affect his Delhi travel, which could delay the trials against him, the plea stated.

Salem contended that he could be shifted to any other barrack or safe place inside the Taloja facility, which is very spacious and arrangements for the same can be made.

Besides the 1993 blasts case, Salem was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2015 for the murder of Mumbai-based builder Pradeep Jain.