'Abu Salem got passport on fake documents'

The then Deputy Superintendent of Police Crime Branch, J P Pali on Tuesday said in the court that underworld don Abu Salem and others have procured passports from the Bhopal office on the basis of fake documents.

Appearing in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Mohan P Tiwari in the presence of Salem, Pali said that on the basis of investigation and witnesses, he found that Salem had procured passports in the name of Danish Baig and that of Monica Bedi in the name of Fouzia Usman with the help of Siraj and Kabir.

Both Kabir and Siraj have helped Salem in preparing fake documents, he said. The Crime Branch had seized fake affidavit and details of wrong addresses given by them, Pali said.

Constable Sanjay Mishra told the court that Pali had seized files in this regard from the Passport Office in front of him while the Municipal Corporation's Food Branch employee Nasir Ahmed informed that police recovered ration card and affidavit of Usman from the municipal office.

Though district court in Bhopal had earlier acquited Bedi in the fake passport case. However, the case of her acquittal at present is pending with the state high court. The court has fixed April 6 as the next date of hearing in the case.