Abu Salem

Abu Salem (born 1968 ) is an underworld don originally from Azamgarh district in Uttar Pradesh, India. He is convicted for the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case and killing of India's music baron Gulshan Kumar in 1997, Indian actress Manisha Koirala's secretary, a builder and more than 50 other cases. He has unsuccessfully attempted to kill Bollywood film directors Rajiv Rai and Rakesh Roshan. At one time was a close associate of Dawood Ibrahim. Before becoming a professional criminal, he worked as a driver and hawker in Mumbai. He is also wanted in India for various murder and extortion cases.

On September 20, 2002, he and his girlfriend were arrested by Interpol in Lisbon, Portugal. His satellite phone was tracked using GPS technology. In February 2004, a Portugal court cleared his extradition to India to face trial in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts case. In November 2005, Portuguese authorities handed him over along with girl friend to Indian authorities on the assurance by then India's Home Minister L.K. Advani that death penalty would not be meted either on him or his partner .

In March 2006, a special TADA court filed eight charges against him and his alleged associate Riaz Siddiqui for his role in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case. He stands accused of ferrying and distributing weapons.

Abu Salem is currently in high-security Arthur Jail in India. A lower court in Portugal cancelled his extradition to India for violation of deportation rules by Indian authorities by instituting fresh cases against him which attracted death penalty. In July 2012, the top most court of Portugal questioned the very legal right of Indian authorities to challenge the cancellation of extradition order.