New Delhi: In a major breather for underworld don Abu Salem, the Delhi High Court Friday dropped charges under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in a 2002 extortion case.
Justice V.K. Shali, allowing a batch of petitions filed by the Delhi Police and Abu Salem that sought dropping of MCOCA charges against the latter, asked that these be withdrawn.
Salem, extradited from Portugal in 2005, was booked under the act for allegedly making extortion calls to Delhi-based businessman Ashok Gupta, demanding Rs.5 crore as protection money.
A trial court in 2009 dismissed the police plea seeking to withdraw the MCOCA charges against Salem, who then approached the Delhi High Court.
The Supreme Court of Portugal recently rejected India’s appeal and cancelled Salem’s extradition, saying the Central Bureau of India had violated the terms of the extradition treaty between the two countries.
The court accused the Indian agencies of violating the conditions under which he was permitted to be taken to India in November 2005 to face trial in eight cases, including the 1993 Mumbai blasts.
Aggrieved by the Supreme Court of Portugal order, India approached the Constitutional Court of Portugal which stayed the Supreme Court order. The Constitutional Court stayed the order after admitting India’s plea. (IANS)