Monica case: Witnesses absent

Bhopal, Nov 28 (UNI) Absence of two witnesses forced a local court to postpone until tomorrow the hearing of a fake passports case in which underworld don Abu Salem and his starlet girlfriend Monica Bedi are among the accused.

Police officer Suresh Tiwari did not appear before Judicial Magistrate Dinesh Kumar Dangi. Similarly, accused-turned-government witness Shiraz was absent owing to a relative's death. Only yesterday, the bench approved Shiraz's application for being converted into a witness.

Monica was not brought to court for the second consecutive day.

Witnesses' statements could not be recorded yesterday owing to a lawyers' strike.

On November 28, 2001, a case was registered at the Koh-i-Fiza Police Station against Salem, his wife Samira Jumani and Monica for having fake passports made at the regional passport office using the names Danish Baig, Rubina Baig and Fauzia Osman respectively.

On October 12 this year, Monica was conveyed here from Hyderabad where she has already been convicted in another case. The bench directed that Salem also be brought before it by December 15.

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