MUMBAI, Feb. 6 -- The Bombay High Court on Thursday rejected a petition filed by gangster Abu Salem, a convict in the March 1993 Mumbai serial bombings case, seeking a 14-day emergency parole to attend the 40-day prayer ceremony following his brother's death in November last year. A division bench of Justices A.S. Gadkari and Shyam Chandak dismissed the plea after Salem informed the court that he was unable to bear the Rs.17.6- lakh cost of an escort. Highlighting the apprehension of the authorities that Salem will abscond if granted parole without an escort party, additional public prosecutor Ashish Satpute told the court that his purpose of parole is to attend his brother's rites, for which the dates have already passed. "He has to bear the expenses if he wants to go", he said, adding that Salem was also convicted by a Portuguese court in 2002 for travelling on a fake passport, which makes him an "international criminal". Replying to this, advocate Farhana Shah, appearing for Salem, stated that only one passport case was registered in Portugal. However, she said, no where it's mentioned that he is an international gangster. "He is not an original conspirator in the case. He was only named for delivering the consignment to Sanjay Dutt, who was also released," Shah said. Hearing the arguments, the court refused to intervene, noting that reports submitted by the police had flagged the risks....