The Supreme Court on Monday reserved its verdict on a plea filed by 1993 Mumbai serial blasts convict Abu Salem seeking premature release, after hearing arguments on whether the period spent by him as an undertrial and the remission earned for good conduct should be counted towards the 25-year imprisonment limit flowing from India’s extradition assurances to Portugal.

The Bombay High Court had earlier held that the 25-year period stipulated under the extradition assurance would expire only in November 2030 and that earned prison remissions could not be used to shorten that period.

A Bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta heard submissions on Salem’s challenge to the Bombay High Court’s April 2026 judgment rejecting his plea for early release. Salem contended that he had already completed more than 25 years of imprisonment after accounting for undertrial custody and earned remission.

The Court reserved its order after hearing the parties and permitted them to file written submissions along with relevant judgments within one week.