THANE: Terror convict Abu Salem has appealed to the prison department from his Taloja jail cell for parole of 45 days for his wedding with his new lady love, Kausar Bahar.

Salem, convicted of terrorism and facing trial for a string of gangland killings and extortion, is understood to have fixed May 5 as the auspicious day for the the nikah with the 27-year-old Mumbra woman.

A top police officer confirmed the development and said: “We have received the applications from the convict, Abu Salem, and the local police is processing the application.”

Family members of Kausar Bahar were reportedly questioned by the police about the validity of Salem’s claim.

Salem had claimed he had married her “over the phone” during a train journey, when he was being taken to Lucknow for a court hearing under police escort.

The woman said the news reports of her marriage had defamed her and now as no one else would tie the knot with her she was ready to sign the nikahnama with Salem. Bahar had threatened to commit suicide if she was not allowed to marry Salem and had moved an application to the effect in court.

The police said it was not the first time that Salem had tried to get permission to marry the woman and had made many applications in the TADA court pleading that he be escorted to the registrar of marriages office in Mumbai.

Salem was last year convicted in the Mumbai bomb blasts case of 1993 as one of the key conspirators; he knowingly facilitated the transportation and supply of arms and ammunition for intended terrorist activities.

Salem was extradited from Portugal along with his then lover, one-time Hindi film starlet Monica Bedi, to stand trial in the case. The prosecution has sought a life sentence for the gangster, who is already in jail for the murder of builder Pradeep Jain.

