SC gives home secy ‘last chance’ to clear stand on Abu Salem’s release
The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed its displeasure over the failure of Union home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla in submitting a personal affidavit on whether gangster Abu Salem will be released after serving 25 years in prison, as promised in 2002 by then deputy prime minister and home minister LK Advani to the courts in Portugal.
A bench of justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and MM Sundresh gave Bhalla “the last opportunity” to file his response by
April 18 after recording that the affidavit could not be filed due to some “communication gap” on part of the government.
Solicitor general (S-G) Tushar Mehta showed up for the Centre to make a request for another opportunity to Bhalla after the court enquired from the government’s counsel whether the home secretary would prefer making an oral statement if he cannot file an affidavit.
“Now that the affidavit has not been filed, ask him if he would want to make an oral statement,” the bench had told a counsel appearing for the government when the case was called out initially. The question entailed the personal appearance of Bhalla before the court due to his failure to file the required affidavit.
Later, S-G Mehta appeared to seek one last chance for Bhalla to abide by the court’s last order on March 8. “There was a communication gap on our part. We are requesting for another opportunity,” he submitted. At this, the bench said: “Learned S-G submits that there was a communication gap on their part and that the affidavit of the Union home secretary would be filed on or before April 18 as the last opportunity. At the request of the S-G, the matter to be taken up next on April 21.” On March 8, the court pulled up the central government for being “evasive” while demanding a personal affidavit from Bhalla to clarify the Centre’s stand regarding Salem’s length of incarceration.